Reborn
by nickyfullmetal
Summary: Dark side of the hero.   Does Dark Link have what it takes to turn from a shadow to a man?
1. Chapter 1

**I would appreciate a review. Do it for Dark Link!**

The first thing he remembered was coldness, freezing feeling against his skin that caused him physical pain. Before he opened his eyes, before he took his first breath, before he started thinking clearly, his entire world was cold.

He started to become more aware to his surroundings, the solid feeling against his body and source of the coldness; he opened his eyes to meet a black marble floor. His eyesight was blurry, like rheum was sticking his long lashes together, and the sense of control over his body slowly returned to him. His mind restarted and he finally made the connection, he was naked on the floor, and he couldn't remember why. In fact, he couldn't remember anything.

"Raise," a thundering voice hit his ear drum, pounding in his head. He immediately, instinctively obeyed, pushing his hands against the floor, supporting himself with four limbs, then recalling what he must do in order to stand on his feet. He looked up to see a stairway, and a throne on top of it. A man was sitting up there, with flaming red hair, and the same ginger shade colored his facial hair as well. He had little time to examine the man before his voice echoed in the hall again.

"Don't dare to look me in the eye, servant." The man ordered, and he shifted his gaze to the ground. "Kneel before your master." he obeyed once more.

When he lowered his gaze, he noticed something he had missed before; he was chained, manacles holding his legs, around his ankles. "Do you see these chains?" the man spoke again, his voice sent chills down his spine, "you are bound to me, even when you can't see them, you are always under my control." He stated, and he watched the chains fade into a gray smoke. He could still feel their weight though.

"I dub you 'Dark' for the darkness will be your alley, and the dark lord you serve." He felt so uncomfortable in his nudity, humiliated by the situation, his rage made him trembled weakly. But he knew he had no choice but to obey. "Now you'll be shown to your room. Your training begins tomorrow."

He followed an anthropomorphic lizard, heavily armed, its dandruff seemed to blend so perfectly into the scale armor, A Dinolfos, he later recalled the name. The lizard threw a dirty blanket at him, and he covered himself as they walked through the dim castle, making their way down and deeper into the dungeons, the chill was stinging through the rough fabric, the air seemed to stand still and reek. His escort opened a squeaking iron door and motioned him to walk in, closing the door behind him as he entered the chamber. He heard a locking sound behind him.

Describing it as a room demanded a generous amount of imagination and optimistic view upon life, it was a prison cell; a thin, filthy mattress was lying in the floor corner, various types of manacles were hanging from the wall and there wasn't even the slightest opening, complete darkness. His eyes got used to the lack of light in merely a few seconds, his sight was as good as it was in day light, and the blackness gave him a comfortable feeling, familiar and comforting. He found a pile of dark colored fabric, it was once gray and once shaped as clothing, but time and usage had taken their tool over it, and it seemed like nothing more than a duster now. He preferred it on being naked, though.

He dressed up examining his body, it was lithe and lean, an impressive amount of agility but it seemed to lack strength, when they walked across the corridors he noticed he was far smaller than the Dinolfos. He looked for some reflective object, something that would show him how he looked like, he couldn't remember what his face was like, but the chamber was empty and he ceased looking. He sat on the poor mattress, and raised both of his hands to his face, feeling it, reading the outlines with his blind fingers; his bone structure was sharp, full of angles and edges, a firm jaw and slightly slanted eyes, his ears were pointed. And he was bold.

He leaned against the wall, hugging his legs and pressing his chest closer to them, preserving his body temperature; he slowed his breathing, decreased his heart beat, and sat completely motionless, reducing his vital signs to minimum, he mused.

Who was he?

What purpose does his living serves?

Who was that red haired man?

Many other questions popped in his head, and very little answers he had come up with. But patience was a virtue, he remembered, so he waited in the dark for the door to be opened, and for the answers to come. For a certain reason he was confident he had much time to figure it all out, more time than he wished he had, eternal time, to learn again all about this life.


	2. Chapter 2

Hours in the darkness. At least he believed them to be hour; the air seemed to be warming around him, then temperature decreased again, but he didn't shake, didn't shudder, just adjusted himself. A tray with a flat bowl filled with water and piece of dry bread was slid under the door. He took it, without much enthusiasm, it seemed like his urge for food was highly suppressed, he ate it reluctantly and drank the water slowly, knowing he was only fulfilling a physical need. It wasn't long afterwards when the door was opened with a screech and the Dinolfos barked on him something incomprehensible, he guessed he was ordering him to get up and follow him, and he did so.

The sun was setting outside, coloring the sky in deep crimson, he looked around at his surrounding with curiosity, he was in the desert and it was beautiful. The sand was painted in the colors of the sunset, and the dark castle was such a cold, solid contrary to the warm, dynamic landscape. He took in a deep breath, the air was dry and hot, a few grains of sand were felt upon his tongue, but he enjoyed the feeling nonetheless. The stood on a sandy plain, many sharp rocks seemed to hide beneath the innocent grains, in the middle of a spacious interior yard. He then noticed he was barefoot, as the little rocks stabbed his soles with every step he took; he soon learned to ignore the pain.

Something was thrown at him from behind, an animalistic instinct caused him to turn around and send a hand forward, he caught the flying object, unfortunately it was the blade of a sword. Drops of blood stained the sand beneath him; he gripped the hilt, feeling the balance of the sword. He examine it, the quality was poor, but it was enough to fight decently, the blade was eroded and blunt but he could still see a pair of crimson eyes staring back at him, his own eyes. He squinted his eyes thoughtfully; these weren't Elven eyes, or human eyes. It only raised more questions.

He had little time to ponder over it, the Dinolfos demanded his attention, apparently he could speak quite fluently, "This will be your first sword training. the master said you have great potential, now we shall test it." He said in a husky voice, pulling out a shiny sword.

Without any warning the lizard attacked, quick and aiming for his left side, he instinctively moved to the right, sending his sword to block the hostile blade. He wasn't sure what he was doing, but he estimated that too much thinking was going to get him killed, so he better trust his body. "Good instincts." The Dinolfos said with a teeth bearing smile, many rows on silvery, sharp teeth glistered in the last beams of the sun.

"I will show you some basic blows," orange eyes flickered dangerously, "You will repeat after me until you get it perfectly, and that may take months." He finished with a nasty, teasing smile. He only nodded and looked at his teacher attentively.

"This one is the Spin Attack." his instructor informed him, and demonstrated the blow from various angles, letting him watch the movement from the sides, and the front and the back so he would gain full understanding of the technique. He examined the lizard, he was skillful, agile and tough, not an easy enemy. "Now you try it, but slowly and accurately."

He raised his sword, focusing, and imitated the radial movement, not putting any force to the hit, yet performing it precisely. He felt certain heaviness in his moves, like a pivot that wasn't well oiled; he would have to work to gain the agility of the Dinolfos. "It was quite good. Put your weight into the blow this time."

He concentrated, and turned his hips, using his waist like a coil and releasing his twisted body, spinning fast and launching forward with great force. His blade sang as it cut the air, so fast it seemed blurry. "Much better." The lizard smiled in creepy way, his interest in him noticeably growing. "Again."

So he did it again, and again. And once more. And a thousand times more until sweat trickled down his faces, making him tasted the salt in his own liquids, until his arms hurt and then became numb, until the skies were as dark as they could get. "Enough for today." The Dinolfos announced, taking his sword and storing it in a stock nearby. He then escorted him to his chamber, giving him a large bucket of water.

"Shower." He advised him, while handing him the bucket, "And don't try to drink this water." He closed the door behind him and locked it again, but the sound of his footsteps wasn't heard, he was still outside that door. "The name is Xino. It was a good practice, Dark." And then he left.

He took the advice and removed his sweaty clothing, he noticed a drainage hole at the far corner and dragged the bucket there, carefully washing his body, cleaning the wounds in his palm and legs as much as possible. He washed his cloths as well, hoping they would dry until the next day, and lay naked, covered in the tattered blanket, his red eyes glowing in the darkness. He didn't seem to tire.

**I wish I were his blanket :)**


	3. Chapter 3

He dared to raise his eyes and study the face of the royal villain, his skin had the dark color of an olive, and his hair was ornamented with gold pins, and thin golden chains that connected in the middle of his forehead. His Sinapis eyes seemed poisonous instead of vivid, and they were sunken deep into his skull, protected under tangled ginger eyebrows. This glance had a cost.

A sudden pain struck him, sending him to quiver on the ground as fire spread across his body, under his skin, inside his chest, down to his stomach, up in his head. He was twitching uncontrollably; it was too agonizing to breath, the air got caught in his lungs and threatened to pop his alveolus. But then it ceased, as abrupt as it started, and his body lay limp on the floor, exhausted by the extreme torture, froth dripping from the sides of his mouth. "Disobedience will result in great pain," the man informed him, as if he hadn't noticed it just now, "I ordered before; do not look at me as an equal."

He dragged himself to his feet, struggling to steady himself on shaky legs; little shocks of aching still ran through his weak body. He fixed his eyes on the ground and nodded submissively. "Xino reported you excelled in your previous training. I'm pleased with you." His voice was still as sharp as a blade, for some reason it hurt his ears to hear it and he fought the urge to puke, "You will be rewarded for good behavior, as much as you are punished for being undisciplined."

"Thank you, my lord," he said quietly, making sure not to lift his eyes and look at the dreadful wizard.

"Dismissed." A cold order came, and he felt like the conversation couldn't just end there.

"Master," he voice out, it was more of a begging than addressing, and he could feel his master's surprise at his valor, "Yes, Dark?"

"May I have access to the library?" he asked politely, praying in his heart for a positive answer. "Permission granted." His voice echoed in the large room, after a moment of thought, "Now leave."

He bowed down so deeply he could almost taste the cold floor, "Thank you, master." He said gratefully and left the hall, where Xino were waiting for him. He managed to walk upright and proud until they arrived to the open yard, then he fell to his knees and vomited; food, digestion liquids and dark blood.

"The master seems to be really rough with you, kid," the Dinolfos remarked, waiting for him to finish, "But you're a tough little guy, aren't you?" he said, cleaning the small space between his teeth with his sharp, long claws, pulling out a tiny bone.

He hadn't answered, but jumped to his legs, leaving the unpleasant experience behind him. He followed the lizard to the practice ground; by that time he was far too good to face only one enemy, and at least a pair of Dinolfos had to fight him simultaneously. This times three heavy armed lizards surrounded him with a deadly expression on their face, wishing to erase the shame of the last battle. It was just before sunset and objects tended to cast a long shadow; he used it. He always stood with his back to the sun, so he could eye two of the lizard directly, and follow the third one's shadow, which fell before him and gave in his attacks.

He saw the shadow between his legs growing, and it wasn't his own; he had none, he had noticed it before. The Dinolfos in the rear launched forward for an attack, he waited for the last second, pretending to be unaware of one's plans, and used a back stab, turning his blade backwards and pushing hard to hit the enemy's stomach. An unclear dong was heard behind him, his sword clashing against the scale armor, and the lizard on his left lashed at him, challenging him with forceful blows, soon accompanied by another.

Battling two enemies with one sword wasn't trivial at all, it was a matter of speed, control and quick thinking, attacks should be well planned in this case, and defenses even more. Over the sounds of the struggle he could hear Xino shouting directions at him, instructing him, "Work with your joint not with your entire arm, you'll tire too quickly." He criticized his energy wasting moves, "fight with elegance, with intelligence. You're not a god damned lizard head!" he shouted at him, and he couldn't help but smile lightly at the ironic comment.

He implemented the advices, and they all proved to be very helpful, soon his enemies were crawling on their underbellies, away from the arena, while Xino cursed them for their cowardice. He chuckled at the sight. Xino returned to him and examined him with squinted eyes, "We will have to find you more appropriate rivals," he told him, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "Start the routine without me, I have some issues to deal with. I will return soon, and you better practice hard while I'm gone." He commanded him, knowing it was rather unnecessary to threaten him, he was the hardest working soldier he ever had.

Dark went to the warehouse, pulling out the heavy sand sacks, piling them to a men's height and placed himself in front of it. First he would practice the jump attack; he would concentrate on certain point and make sure he stabbed right through it, with the great force that comes from the perfect coordination between his arm movement and the momentum of his jump. He leaped forward, raising high in the air, and coming down like an eagle that spotted his prey. He repeated it for the eighty fourth time when the lizard returned.

"Let me see your ending blow." Xino said, leaning backwards on a fence as Dark rearranged the sacks. He focused on the target, jumped through the air and stabbed downward, putting his weight into the blow, easily penetrated through the thick sand. He backed away, in on guard position, and attacked once more, putting every drop of rage and frustration he had into the hit. A while later Xino stopped him, with an unpleasant smile.

"You're a true killer." He said with satisfactory, showing of his sharp teeth. "Soon you'll be ready to thrust this blade through real flesh, and not stupid sand bags. I will make you love it." He said in a smooth voice, his forked tongue sliding out excitedly. It was late at night when the Dinolfos ended the practice, walking toward the entrance to the castle.

"The master has rewarded you for your efforts," he informed him, while leading him through the corridors to a part of the castle he hadn't seen before. "This is the officer's residence," he explained showing him to a spacious room. "You're free to wander across the castle as long as you show to practice on time. If you wish to leave the castle, you must address me in this matter. Understood?"

Dark nodded, surprised at the dramatic upgrade, he heard the lizard mumble as he walked away "Doesn't this gut ever talk?". He scanned the room; a real, neatly made bed, a closet, chair and a desk. It seemed to him like luxury, the floor was clean, and the air was fresh, he finally had a window. He stepped further into the room to see a side door; he pushed it carefully, curiously and picked inside. It was a small bathroom, toilet bowl, sink, shower, everything he could wish for. He smiled to himself; he had enough showering with buckets over a draining hole.

He took off his dirty clothes, and walked to the bathroom, letting the cold water caress his body, maybe this life could suit him after all. The corns on his palms burned, and the wounds in his body pained him, but he was grateful for them because they made him feel alive. He rubbed his dirty skin, noticing his body had changed, becoming more muscular and durable, he closed the water and even had a towel to dry his body with. He returned to the his room, opening the closet out of curiosity, finding a row of clean new tunics, and a pair of black leather boots. He grinned at the refreshing wardrobe and put on his new uniform, a black tunic with a golden sign placed at the left side of his chest. A loud knock was heard on his door and he heard Xino's voice, "Get dressed and open up, I wouldn't wanna see you're pale ugly ass ever again in my life."

He walked to the door and pulled it open to see Xino leaning on his lintel. "I forgot to mention, attendance is mandatory in dinner, so you better get you're skinny ass to the dining room." he let him know, chewing on a long, pale bone, sharpening his teeth. Dark followed him to the dining room, keeping a fair distance between them as the lizard's axe like tail moved hectically from side to side. "That I can tell you kid, the guys ain't gonna like you."

He sighed heavily at the obvious statement. However, he never expected something to be easy in this life, and he welcomed every challenge. He wore a blank expression as they walked into the dining room and a dozen yellow eyes watched his every step, with pure hatred. Bring it on, he thought to himself, do your worst; Dinolfos, the master, goddesses, he would deal with all of them.

**So you kinda see where the story's going.**

**Let me know if you like it. **


	4. Chapter 4

Something wet hit his face; he raised his hand to calmly wipe it off. The red haired woman was held by two Dinolfos, one at each side of her, she struggled like a caged Tigris. She growled at him, revealing a row of tiny white teeth, her golden eyes flashing wildly, he appreciated the fighting spirit. "Woman, you better calm down." Xino warned her with a sly grin as another Dinolfos aimed a spear at her bare belly.

She only seemed to resist more, teasing them and laughing at their threats, he realized it wasn't going to work this way. "Give her back her swords," he said quietly, but he spoke so rarely so his hoarse voice caught everyone's attention.

Xino raised a curios eyebrow at him, wandering what the black demon had in mind, but spat "Do as he says." A second later a Dinolfos returned with her swords, looking at Xino with slight anxiety.

He spoke again, "Put them on the ground and walk away." He commanded the lizard, "You two, let her go." The exchanged worried looks, but released her simultaneously and ran away, keeping a safe distant from her. She immediately grabbed the swords, getting in position, and eyed him suspiciously.

"We fight. If you find me worthy, you'll teach me everything you know. If I fail to impress you, you're free to leave." He offered her, his crimson eyes sparkling in challenge. Xino watched him fascinated, the kid had some qualities.

"Agreed." She replied with a dangerous smile, crossing her two swords in front of her. He watched her moves carefully; she was well balanced on slightly bent knees, taking small, light steps as he circled her, adjusting her position to his. She didn't attack first.

He gave a short, rather weak blow, only testing her reaction; it was easily blocked by one of her swords, and she lashed forward with a spine attack, he had to maneuver and react quickly to block the two spinning blades one after the other. He used the second her back was still in his direction, but the sword that hit him first already completed a full circle, just in time to stop his blow. He retreated, estimating his rival again. His sword was longer and heavier, giving him forceful hits and a longer range, but she had two lighter ones and her speed and agility were impressive.

They exchanged a few hits, and she managed to lock his sword between her two blades. She was about to continue her motion and twist the sword out of his hands, but instead of resisting her move and losing his sword, he loosened his grip and followed her movement while carefully pulling backwards, freeing his sword from her iron grip. He saw her smiling at him with entertainment. He heard some of the lizards cheer for him; he chuckled at the thought that the one thing they hated more than him was the Garudo.

She launched forward again, her sword so fast it seemed blurry, lingering in place even after they moved on, and he leaned forward to hold back her attack. He raised his sword to block a vertical high blow, but her other blade was aiming low, horizontal cut in the thigh. He couldn't tell how exactly he did it, but her blade hit nothing but air, as he jumped, pressing his legs to his chest. She lost her balance and stumbled forward, at his feet, his sword aiming at her neck. "That's enough," she said through gritted teeth.

He stepped back, returning his sword to its sheath, and watched her as she got up, face flushed from the effort and the embarrassment. He watched her, waiting for her answer, silent as ever. "You're surprisingly good for a man… or whatever horrid crossbreed Ganon has created. " she spoke with cold voice, her expression shouting revulsion. "I will train you. Garudo keep their word."

He nodded formally, taking a step closer to her, "Your name, miss?" he addressed her in a polite manner; he loathed the dirty talk of the soldiers.

She cocked her eyebrows at his gentle ways and replied in a friendlier tone, "Nabooru."

He gave Xino a meaningful glare and turned to her, "Dark," he introduced himself, "It would be an honor to learn from you." With that he left her, walking toward Xino, who looked at him waiting for an explanation.

"You do realize she is a political prisoner and not a random Garudo thief?" Dark hissed, as they both watched her. "You should personally see to it that she is treated properly." He motioned his head towards the low ranked lizards surrounding her.

"Of course I know who she is," he said with a wide grin, "I personally led the raid where she was arrested." He remarked, caressing the scales on his chest, "I thought you'd appreciate my pick, she's one of their best warriors."

Dark thanked him, lowering his head in gratitude and submissiveness; even with his quick promotions, Xino still outranked him, holding one of the most important positions in Ganon's army. He knew Xino favored him, as much as a Dinolfos could favor anyone, and gave him more freedom of action and speech than any other commander would. Xino was frustrated by the soldiers' narrow minds and the lack of initiative, and was fond of Dark just because he dared to think and disagree.

He saluted his superior and walked away, stopping in his room for a quick shower; he was always mocked by the others for being so clean and tidy. His uniform was always ironed, his boots polished and his sword shiny, he was pedant and high disciplined and he despised sloppiness. He washed his body and hair as well; a while had passed from the first day he could remember and ebony bangs rested on his forehead, gracing him with a mysterious charm.

Red eyes glared at him from the mirror, for a moment he thought he recalled something, but he immediately forgot it again, the memory escaping from his hands like a butterfly. The eyes closed, and a heavy sigh was heard. He hated not knowing.


	5. Chapter 5

"You wouldn't need your sword today." The woman informed, while placing her weapons on the sand beside her. He cocked a surprised eyebrow at the statement, but decided to show some faith, and took off his sword and sheath, putting them aside.

She lowered herself to sit cross legged on the sand and motioned him to do the same, examining his movements as he came to sit in front of her. "The first Garudo were dancers at the king's court, it was later on when they discovered their true potential." She told him with a mischievous smirk. "Our martial arts are based on dance moves; it's more about agility and flexibility than brute force. This is why it's considered a feminine style." He listened attentively to the tan skinned woman, finding great interest in her story, "Obviously I won't teach you how to belly dance, though I find it enriching," she added with a teasing grin, "But we'll start by working on your body."

She elegantly switched her cross legged sit to a side split, leaning her elbows on the ground before her, in almost inhuman elasticity. "Could you do that for me, please?" she asked in a sweet voice.

He felt really clumsy and uncomfortable as he stood up, and parted his legs to the side slowly, increasing the angle between his legs, and lowering his body to the ground. He held his weight with two supporting palms in front of him, as he was a few centimeters from reaching the ground with his hips, but the pain was too great to try and lower himself more. A few seconds passed before she told him to stop, sit comfortably and let his legs rest. She was surprised at how lithe he was, "Are you sure you're a man?"

He gave her a gloomy look. "Do you wish to see for yourself?" he fired in a sharp voice.

It only caused her to laugh, tilting her head backwards, her wavy red hair moving along. "You're nicer when you're silent." She remarked, resting her palms on her hips, "Now do it again."

He lowered himself again, feeling his muscles cry and beg for mercy, he was naturally flexible but that was a new kind of torture. He practiced this configuration for about twelve seconds each time, until he thought his pelvis was going to crack. "Now, a front split," she demonstrated, adding "That should be easier for you,"

He tried it, and his leg did stretch forward quite smoothly, carrying out a nearly perfect split. He imitated her move, as she held her front leg with her palms and leaned her head to her thigh, yet he couldn't do that for time being. He released his sour muscles, lightly shaking his legs, before returning to this position again. She showed him a few more stretches when he asked, "How often should I practice it?"

"Every day, for the rest of your life," she answered quite dramatically, but he could read in her eyes she was slightly joking. He just nodded, and focused on the right movements.

"Pardon me for the rude question, but what are you?" she suddenly inquired, and he could feel her golden eyes boring holes in his skull. "You're definitely not human. From what I've seen, you don't seem like a regular elf."

He raised his head slowly, staring back at her with his red orbs and replied quietly, hesitantly, "I…I don't know." His voice was poignantly honest, "My first memory is probably from the previous year, I woke up in this body. This leads to the conclusion, that I was somehow…created."

She appeared shocked at his confession, and the rest of the practice passed in silence, she demonstrated and he followed. He felt stiffness in his gait as he walked away from the training ground, his muscles burned, but it felt nice, as if he achieved something. Her question only raised more restlessness inside him, and he decided to visit the library again, hoping to find a piece of enlightening information. He had gone there almost every day since the master gave him permission.

First he read all of the books that dealt with the different races of Hyrule, and then he turned to historical literature and as last resort to mythology. But nothing sounded to him like a proper description of his self. The research of his origin wasn't fanatically focused on the target, on finding what he was, so he enjoyed broadening his knowledge in various subjects and showed interest in many fields. He was fascinated by magic, trying to learn from basic books for elementary pupils, and enchanted by the deliberation of ancient and modern philosophers. Since he gained very little pleasure from communicating with the Dinolfos and other kinds of soldiers, he found a comforting haven in the library, drowning in books.

Maybe today he would find something useful.


	6. Chapter 6

He bowed down before his master, his eyes fixed on the ground, he knew better now, not to look right back at him. He had delivered his report about the last patrol, and apparently Xino complimented his function again, his master seemed to be in a relatively good mood. He inhaled deeply, collecting every bit of courage he had before addressing his master, "My lord, something had been bothering me lately." He shared in a quiet voice.

"Speak," he heard the ringing of chains and bracelets, as the master shifted his position in his throne.

"What am I?" he struggled to voice out, as if choking upon his words; this question has been burning inside of him for so long.

A loud, roaring laughter made his rib cage quake. It wasn't a mocking laughter or a degrading one, it was almost fatherly. "I've been told you read through the entire library. Was that what you were searching for?"

"Mainly. Yes." He replied in a humble tone, impressed by the knowledge the master had of his servants.

"You wouldn't find it there." an answer came quickly, "You are my greatest creation. A bone of a loyal soldier, a drop of blood from a hero, and a piece of flesh from a king." The master stipulated each one of the ingredients that he was made of, and it caused him to feel so desecrated. "A piece of my flesh, Dark. You're like a son to me." His words echoed in the hall long after they've been said.

"Stand straight and look at me," he ordered, and Dark rose slowly, shifting his eyes from the ground costively, meeting his master's eyes for the first time in a long while. "Soon you will have all the answers. Meanwhile, don't disappoint me."

He lowered his head compliantly, "I will not, my lord."

"Good." Yellow eyes watched him carefully as he spoke, "Now, the Garudo princess is expecting you at the yard. It's impolite to have a woman waiting for you." He told him with a gloomy, ironic smile.

"Yes, my lord." He said, bowing formally and left the hall, pacing quickly to the training ground.

A creation, some sort of black magic, was that all he was? He tried to suppressed the nausea that crept into his stomach and up his chest, he was disgusted, revolted by this discovery. He was nothing but abomination, a forbidden act of a daring wizard. The thoughts wouldn't leave him even when he reached the yard, and the ginger woman stood there impatient, her hands on her hips. "Start doing the warm up." She instructed him as he came close by.

He obeyed without a word, going for a short run around the castle, while wonders and theories still occupied his mind. He soon returned to the yard, practicing his feet's agility, side steps and legs crossing, when he suddenly tripped over his own feet, losing his balance temporarily. "Dark," Nabooru called out, walking towards him, "Is everything ok? Your mind seems to be somewhere else." She pointed out.

"It's quite true," he replied with certain anger, not directed to her, due to the latest revelation.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" she suggested, placing her hand on his shoulder in a kind gesture. He shook off her hand and gave her a dark glare; she immediately backed away, "Goddesses, I got it. You're not in a sharing mood."

He continued in his exercises, this time flawlessly, and was finishing his stretching when Nabooru yelled at him to help her out. He ran to her, she was standing in front of the warehouse, pointing at the sand bags, "We need a few of these."

"I'm sure you can handle it yourself," he replied rudely, which was very unlike him, and he regretted it right away.

She crossed her hands over her chest, "It's not a job for a lady."

He snorted at that comment, but did as she said nonetheless; he piled the sacks to a human height. "So now you're going to see what good was to all that stretching we did." She announced, "We see great importance in hand-to-hand combat, sometimes it might serve you better than the encumbrance of the sword. Nothing's better than a quiet sneaking from behind, and silent neutralizing of your enemy. "her face was twisted in a sick pleasure, "Especially for thieves, or assassins," she poked his chest with her finger.

"Assassins?" he repeated, wondering what he had to do with it.

"Well, you are utterly overqualified for being a plain soldier. Ganon seems to cultivate you impeccably." She remarked, waving her hands as she presented her thoughts, "I believe he has plans for you, special tasks to…execute." She chose her words wittily.

He had to admit her words made sense, for some reason he never gave a thought to the future, to what was expected of him, instead he preferred to delve into the past. "First, low kick."

She kicked the sacks, aiming to knee high approximately; he noticed she had great strength in her kick for a woman of her size, or even for a medium man. She did it a few times, and he watched from various angles, trying to figure out the technique. "Try it, and I'll guide you through,"

He took her place in front of the sand bags, sending in a moderated spread as she did, and kicked the bags; it was unexpectedly painful, and she handled it like it was nothing but hitting cotton wool. He pressed his lips together and said nothing. "Use your left leg as a pivot; it will give you more power."

And so he did, and she corrected him every time, telling him to use his hips more, or aim his knee a different way. He could feel every comment she gave him made him better, his started to like this way of fighting. She showed him another sort of kick, and then their worked on his punches for a while before she stopped him.

"We're going to practice the basics for a while." She let him know, wiping a drop of sweat from her forehead, "later on, we can advance to more complex hits and attacks, which are more relevant to your…future missions."

"Why are you teaching me all this?" he wondered loudly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, that's what you asked me to do. And besides, I have nothing better to do than sit in my cell and count flies," she reminded him bitterly. Her answer did not satisfy him, and he kept staring at her with an inquiring look, knowing he made her feel uncomfortable.

"Goddesses, take those horrid eyes of me," she spat, punching his shoulder and not in a friendly manner, "It's because you're a phenomenon. You do realize your abilities are beyond human, do you?" she inquired, and he only lowered his gaze humbly, "As much as I hate assisting Ganon, training you gives me the feeling I'm involved in something great, like a creation of a myth, a legend."

He shivered as she used the word 'creation'. Becoming a legend, a myth; was that what the future held out for him?

**So, do you like it so far?**

**It's gonna get darker...**


	7. Chapter 7

"Prepare yourself," Xino yelled at him as he passed by his door, "Tonight we're gonna shed some blood." He notified him in a joyful voice, his walk was so agitated he almost hopped.

"What?" Dark popped his head out of the door, waiting for further details.

"There's a raid on a village near the Hyrule castle," the lizard told him, his tail wagging eagerly, "We gather at ten o'clock sharp near the gate."

"Has something happened?" he inquired, walking outside to face his commander, "What is the purpose of this?"

"To impose terror, obviously," the Dinolfos replied in an impatient voice, "The master wants to piss off the Hylian."

"War?" he cocked an eyebrow, considering the option.

"Soon enough." He was given a toothy smile, and the lizard walked away, humming to himself in an awful voice.

At ten o'clock he was already at the gate, armed and ready, or at least that what he thought. A group of thirty Dinolfos and Stalfos was gathered in there, but they made enough noise for three hundreds, they were silenced only by Xino who came by riding his horse, and knocked one of them down to gain their attention. "Listen, you bunch of lousy bones and stupid reptiles. Tonight we're gonna do what you favor the most, we're gonna kill."

The group cheered him but he cut off the noise immediately. "Be quiet until we reach there. Then I'll let you have your fun, but you will all leave when I give the sign. If you disobey, pray for the goddesses that the Hylian will take you hostage." He scanned them all with his orange, flaming eyes, "If I lay my hands on you, you will suffer."

They nodded silently in agreement, and mounted their horses, heading towards the village, Dark rode ahead with Xino, who cursed under his breath, "Those pathetic soldiers. If Ganon has created you, couldn't he create others, so I can finally lead a decent army?"

His heart stung as he heard this comment, and he wondered how Xino knew about that conversion, walls have ears apparently. He had little time to ponder in that matter, since the village was at sight, and the others dashed forward, sowing destruction. They burnt down the houses, scaring the people outside and butchered every living soul. He had no problem fighting against armed farmers, on the contrary, it was amusing, but when he bumped into a little girl he couldn't swing the sword.

A spear puncture her chest a second later and Xino came from behind him looking at the horrible view with slight amusement. "Any reason why you stopped, my dear boy?"

"This… is … a massacre." He stuttered, his eyes wide and torn as he watched the little girl dying.

"This is our job," Xino corrected him, giving him a friendly punch on his shoulder.

"I can't do it," Dark opposed, backing away. Xino started saying something about disobeying the master's orders when a blazing pain cleaved his head, sending him howling to the ground, clenching his skull with both arms. A little reminder.

He pushed himself up, hardly standing and gave the girl another terrified look, by that time Xino grabbed a lost child, throwing it in front of him. "Do it." He ordered in a firm voice.

He breathed deeply, and a sentence he read popped in his mind, something about fidelity being the sister of justice. He raised his sword, and pinned the boy's chest, shoving the blade all the way through. He used his leg to push the boy's body as he pulled back his sword. He watched the agonizing little face, but it seemed blurry, like the outlines faded. He felt nothing. "You see, it wasn't that bad." Xino encouraged him, "By your third kid you won't even blink," he joked, moving on with his slaughter.

By the time the Hylian guards arrived, there wasn't a living soul in the village, and Ganon's soldiers were half way back to the castle. While everyone continued to the dining room to celebrate a successful raid, he retired to his room, to wash off the blood. He stared at the red eyes that were reflected in the bathroom mirror and loathed what he saw. What he had done that night was unforgivable; it wasn't the way a man should act.

Enough with the pretence and hypocrisy, he rebuked himself, he wasn't even a man. He was a creature of the darkness, meant to serve a despicable purpose, and nothing more. Something inside him died that day.


	8. Chapter 8

He spent most of his day in the library, studying from a book called "Basic Alchemy". He wasn't particularly good at magic in general, and alchemy wasn't different, but it kept his mind off those innocent, terrified eyes that watched him before he thrust his sword through that child's body. He read through the same sentence over and over, but couldn't grasp the meaning; he saw the letters form words but was unable to understand. He sighed heavily and closed the book with a slam, and got up, leaving the library, it was twilight and he was supposed to train with Nabooru. He hoped the news hadn't gotten to her yet.

He crossed the yard walking in her direction, and as soon as she spotted him she started to march towards him; he thought it was a bad sign. When he got closer he was sure it was a bad sign, as he saw her grimaced face. She slapped him hard across the face, with power that surprised him, and spat "You monster!"

He didn't react or reply, there was nothing that could be said or done really. She slapped him again, he could stop her then, but decided to allow her to release the anger. "You were at the raid last night, didn't you?"

He said nothing, but his expression gave the answer, "I shouldn't have expected otherwise from the likes of you." She hissed, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Do you wish to cancel the practice today?" he asked politely, noticing she was in an unstable mental state. "My opinion of you wouldn't change tomorrow." She barked an answer.

She scowled at him for a while, and seeing he do not respond she sighed deeply and spoke, "So we're going to continue what I showed you yesterday, about the art of the silent kill." She seemed reluctant to teach him but did it nonetheless, "You're probably going to enjoy it."

She placed her hands upon his chin and nape, and slowly showed him the deadly move, while explaining to him a few things regarding the human anatomy. "It's extremely useful when you sneak on someone from behind, but you will have hard time to find partners to practice it," she said with a cynical smile.

"Don't be so sure, princess." A cheerful voice came from behind them and they turned to see Xino walking jauntily, followed by a long line of chained men, "Fresh meat from the death row," he presented them.

Dark felt nausea, and had a strong feeling his face transformed to a sick shade of green, as the lizard guards shoved the condemned men to sit on their knees in a straight line. He glanced at Nabooru who seemed horrified and sickly amused all at once, and Xino just glowed in happiness. "They're going to die anyway, and you can make it quick and relatively painless for them. It should quiet down this silly conscience of yours."

He stood behind the first man in the row, placing his hands where Nabooru instructed him, and give her a questioning look, "Release and snap," was all she had to say.

He made a slower move turning the man's head down and to the right, and then pulled forcefully up and to the left twisting his neck. He didn't heard a breaking sound, and the man started to gurgle, blood trickling from his mouth, "Goddesses, finish him!" she cried out and he preformed the move one more time, getting it done properly.

The others went smoother, it wasn't long before he had a row of dead people on the ground in front of him. His expression was blank, and so was his mind, he felt absolutely nothing. "I think we're done for today," Nabooru finally spoke, after he had been standing still for at least five minutes. He just nodded and escorted her to her cell, walking through the crowded corridors of the jailhouse.

A Dinolfos bumped into her, hard and deliberate, causing her to lose her balance, nearly crashing on the dirty floor. He thanked his quick instincts for allowing him to catch her before she hit the hard surface, and helped her up with gentleness he didn't knew he had. He then turned to the violent lizard who seemed surprised at his behavior, "Do it one more time, and I'll use your skin for a new pair of boots," he told him quietly, hearing a feminine chuckle behind him.

He never raised his voice on a soldier, he didn't need to, a glare from those blazing red eyes was enough to make the Dinolfos cringe and leave the place with a worried mumble. He turned to the red haired woman, scanning her for any injuries, "Are you okay?" he inquired, sounding more caring than he intended to.

She just nodded, and continued to walk to her cell in silent, her eyes fixed on the ground. She walked behind the bars, and he locked the door after her, turning to walk away when he heard her call for him. He faced her, with a cocked eyebrow, waiting to hear her words.

"Sometimes…I see a man when I look at you." She said quietly, struggling upon every word she pronounced, "Don't give up on him yet."

He gave her a formal nod, his face expressionless and cold, and walked away. He let a tiny smile morph on his lips when he left the jailhouse.


	9. Chapter 9

He stood straight and upright, his ankles pressed together and his hands behind his back, as he faced his master; he wasn't required to kneel anymore. To his side stood Xino, showing his respects as well, his expression radiating loyalty and discipline. "The Garudo queen will soon pass away, and a new leader will be chosen to lead the tribe." The master told them, playing with a large golden ring on his pinky. "We should release the princess."

Xino's eyes widen in shock, and he dared to ask, "Why is that master?"

"Nabooru is level headed, her opinion are moderate. If she's elected, she will oppress any radical forces; we can't afford another battlefront once the war begins. Moreover, I rather deal with the devil I know." He replied calmly, he had planned through every move and Dark was impressed time and time again by his clever strategies. "However, we should make it look as if she escaped; then she will return to her tribe as a hero. If we let her go, it will look suspicious."

"I'm sure Dark can handle it," Xino stated with a wide grin, giving the dark haired man a side glance. The master shifted his gaze to Dark, the feeling of his master's eyes on him burned his skin, but he stood still.

"Can you?" he questioned in a curious voice, and his expression made it clear that 'No' would be a very wrong answer.

"I Can." He said humbly, lowering his head, "She seems to favor me over others; an unspoken mutual respect, to a certain extent."

"Very well done," the master said with a grin, it seems that his smile was more frightening than his glare. His eyes rested on the lizard, something about his look was ominous, "Xino, you're dismissed. I have a few words to exchange with Dark."

The Dinolfos bowed submissively and left the room, he didn't like the thought of staying alone with the master, it brought mainly memories of pain. "Are you pleased with your service?" the question was surprising and he weighed his words very carefully before answering.

"Yes. I'm unworthy of your kindness." He replied bashfully.

"You rightfully earned your promotion." The master remarked, "You're training are soon to end. I have great plans for you," he declared and his unpleasant eyes glowed wildly, "It's not long before you will have your chance to win your freedom."

Dark ears pricked, and his eyes sparkled in enthusiasm he tried to hide, but miserably failed. "You seem eager. Would you like to become a man, and not a shadow of a hero?"

He swallowed his spit, and certain lightness filled his body, as is his legs merely touched the ground, "I would, my lord."

"Then be faithful and follow my orders." The master required, leaning his firm jaw on his palm, and watching his servant through narrowed eyes. "Loyalty liberates."

He nodded demurely and bowed to his master, leaving the main hall. He had some planning to do before he would meet with Nabooru for practice. He had a few places to visit before that, and a solid idea of how to execute his orders already formed in his mind; fortunately the prisoner was very capable at escaping through the slightest breach.

They fought each other in practice; he was fighting with two swords as well, implementing all her classes in one battle. His skills were astounding, her teaching contributed to him more than he could imagine, and it all seemed to fall together in that fight. His feet were as light as hers, and his body could perform almost anything with the improved flexibility and increased nimbleness, in addition to his force and quick thought. He defeated her in her own field. She motioned him to halt, she was trying to catch her breath, wiping the sweat from her flushed face. "Don't you ever get tired?" she asked with frustration.

He only shrugged."Listen, it seems like I have nothing more to teach you." She admitted, throwing her swords to the side and sitting on the sand, "I've never seen a man fight like that, and I hope I never encounter you in battle."

"I wouldn't want you as a rival as well," he said bitterly, thinking he rather avoid this stubborn, dangerous lady.

"I guess we can't always choose on which side we are, can we?" she said thoughtfully, mainly to herself, and he watched her attentively. "I'm sorry about bursting out on you, the day after the raid."

"Why would you apologize on that?" he cocked an eyebrow at her, leaning back on his palms as he sat cross legged in front of her.

"Because I have no right to judge you. I wouldn't be mad at a child for doing something wrong." she explained, waving her arms like she frequently did when she tried to prove a point, "Your memory starts a year ago. All you know since then, all you were taught was war and killing. Ganon turned you into what you are today." She summarized in an accusing tone.

For some reason her words did not comfort him, on the contrary. Being shaped by someone, turned into a skilled murderer, was humiliating; he preferred to believe he still had some free will and for that take responsibility on his actions. "We should go now." He told her in a distant tone, jumping on his feet. She looked at him with concern, but hadn't said a word, just followed him silently. He locked her in her cell, and lingered in front of her door, as if he was having an inner battle. He then turned to her, taking out of his pocket a golden, pointy edged pin and handed to her, "I found it among the plundering. I thought it would match your hair."

She snatched the pin from his hand, her eyes jumping rapidly from his face to the door locket. "Tonight at nine o'clock, I'm giving a brief to the guards. It would last fifteen minutes." He informed her, and her jaw dropped down as she watched him in shock, "Be careful." He told her, and left without another word.

Nabooru escaped that night; it was discovered a few minutes after the brief ended and he knew they would never find her in the desert; it was her own land that hid her. He returned to his room, and put aside his sword, sitting on his bed; he noticed a small note. In a girly, curly hand writing it said, "Be a man."


	10. Chapter 10

He wore the official uniform of the Dorf's dynasty, a dark maroon tunic ornamented with the royal symbol; a golden crescent moon and a star, a pair of black tight fitting trousers and new, expensive boots. The master had given him his first real task, he was sent as an ambassador to the Twinrova sisters, two powerful witches he hoped to recruit. He tightened the band that held his hair and mounted his horse, galloping away to the desert, in search for those women.

He was told they were teaching at the Witchcraft Academy, a place that was notoriously known for its strong tendency toward the dark arts, he thought that would be a good place to find alleys. With his excellent horse, he reached it in a less than a day riding, as neat and elegant as he was when he left the castle, the guard at the entrance practically jumped out of his way as he saw the uniform and his high ranks; by that time his rank was equivalent to Colonel.

The place gave him a nice feeling, the lighting was dim, and the weather was chili, the skies were always clouded there. The architecture was to his liking as well, the buildings raised high above the ground creating a sense of inferiority in a visitor's heart, towers, pinnacles, tall spires, pointed arches, it radiated silent power.

He noticed that while usually people looked at him with terror and fear, most of the students seemed to examine him with curiosity; he decided to address one of them and ask for directions. "Excuse me sir," he spoke to a young elf who stared at him before, "Where can I find Kotake and Koume?"

The student's face wore a courteous expression, and he pointed at one of the buildings, "Their room is up that tower, their expected to be there at this time."

He thanked the lad and marched to the referred building, it was higher than the others, and a breathtaking colored glass was crafted into windows, it filled him with awe. A long, spiral stairway leads to the top of the tower, and he couldn't help but delay upon various art works that were placed along the way. He heard voices talking as he reached the end of the stairs, at least someone was there, and a round room with high ceiling became visible. A young damsel stood in front of fully written board and lectured about something beyond his understanding, it was fascinating nonetheless, and he walked in silently, listening.

"It must work." She stated breathlessly, her hands limp at the sides of her body.

"Arien, you're ideas are interesting, I may dare and say revolutionary, but so many had tried and failed before…" a squeaky, high pitched voice was heard, and he noticed two women sitting with their back to him.

"Pardon me, ladies." He interfered the intellectual argument, and three pairs of eyes turned to watch him. Two of those pairs were lighten with understanding.

"Arien dear, please excuse us. We must talk to the gentleman." One of them said sweetly, and the young students stormed off the class, passing by him with an angry expression. He took a glimpse at her face, she had something exotic about her, but he couldn't point it out.

He walked into the room and stopped in front of them, bowing formally. "I greet you witches, in the name of Ganondorf." He stated in a calm voice, his expression serious.

"We've been waiting for you to come," one said eagerly, and he couldn't ignore how utterly unattractive both of them looked, "But we didn't expect you to be so handsome," the other completed the sentence, and they chuckled.

He forced himself to smile at the compliment, a gesture that almost caused the old ladies to melt, and went straight to the point, "War is soon to break. My lord wishes to know if he could trust your support."

They exchanged excited looks and then left one spoke, "We always fancied the dark lord. Of course we will side with him." The right one nodded in consent.

"I thank you in my master's name; he would be pleased to hear that he is favored by two lovely ladies like you." He lied without a blink, fighting an urge to puke. They giggled in a horrid way and he smiled again, which lead to more giggles. But then a clever thought popped in his head. "Could you recommend on others that may side us in this battle?"

"Well," the right witch rubbed her chin thoughtfully, her skin was dark and the same shade as his master's, "Most of the other teachers avoid political struggles. But if I was to point out someone who might involve himself in such thing…"

"And is powerful enough to be considered an alley…" the other continued her sister's words, "I would suggest Arien, the girl you just saw. Great talent, even greater will to prove herself, she might be what you're looking for."

"Can you tell me about her?" he asked eagerly, a feeling of achievement raising inside him.

"She an orphan, raised in the Kokiri village by the Deku Tree," they shared, trying to think of useful information, "She's a half blooded, a mixture of elf and Garudo I would say, and what an explosive mixture…" the left one joked, and even he was amused, "She finished her studies with honors two years ago, she's very successful and well known for her skills; potions and research of ancient spells."

"Sounds promising." He said honestly, liking the girl before they even met.

"Yes, she's destined for greatness." They both agreed.

"It's been a pleasure meeting, my fair ladies." He flattered them with a silky voice, "But as much as I enjoy your company, I must return to my duty." They blushed at his complements and he used that opportunity to leave, making his way as fast as he could to his master. His first mission was completed.

**Come on, ten chapters and not even one review.**

***cries in a dark corner***


	11. Chapter 11

"What was their answer?" the master demanded to know, when he stood before him to report his mission.

"They were eager to join you." He replied simply, thinking it was the easiest task he was ever given.

"I'm glad to hear you handled your mission well," his voice was pleased, "Kotake and Koume are important alleys. I've known them since my youth; in fact, they even taught me much of what I know now." A sense of nostalgia was carried with his voice.

"There's one thing," Dark cut into the reminiscent moment, "I took the liberty to ask if they could recommend on other powerful sorcerers," he said hesitantly, examining his master's expression. "Unfortunately, most of the elders abstain of this kind of conflicts. But there was one particular girl they insisted you consider."

The master watched him with blank expression, pondering, "I appreciate your initiative, Dark, you rose above my expectations." He complimented in a warm voice, and Dark felt like he could breathe again. "Who is that girl?"

"Her name is Arien; they said she was quite famous for her abilities." He replied shortly.

"A peculiar name, it does ring familiar. I've heard of someone by that name who researched the dark spells." He rubbed his temples thoughtfully, eyes narrowed.

"It is probably her," Dark confirmed, "She was said to be practicing research of ancient spells, among others."

"Well, since we know very little of her, I would like you to sniff around, see what you can learn of her, stalk her if it's necessary." His master ordered, "But before you do that, I have a real challenge for you." He said cunningly, and a tight smile twisted his face, "An assassination."

Dark nodded, attentive, recalling Nabooru's guess, "Xino will give you more details. Meet him the western tower."

He headed towards the tower, walking through the dim corridors of the castle, drowning in his thoughts. Things seemed to become more interesting lately, and soon he would have plenty of opportunities to see the outside world; he was fascinated by the different cultures and people. Many things kept bothering him, thoughts that once cost him painful price if he dealt with them for too long, forbidden thoughts. But as time progressed he learnt how to mused over these prohibited matters without being punished, as if he was hiding those thought from his own self, the secret to it was to convince himself he shouldn't feel guilty for it. He understood awhile ago that guilt was the source of his pain.

He was too lost in thoughts to notice their grating voices before, and now it was too late to take a turn and lose them; a few officers were heading in his direction, and he wished to avoid them. He was treated respectfully and fearfully by the lower ranked soldiers, but the superior officers seemed to give him a hard time; he pressed himself inside a dark corner, and wished to merge into the shadows. Surprisingly it worked, they passed him without noticing; he waited long enough to be safe and then slid out of his hiding, appearing again in the corridor.

"How did you do that?" a familiar voice cried out. He looked back to see Xino, who probably came around looking for him.

"Did what?" he asked innocently, shrugging his shoulders.

"You just appeared in the corridor, I couldn't see a trace of living soul a second before, and I was standing right here." He exclaimed, walking to Dark and touching his arm, as if to check that he was real.

"I'm not exactly sure…" he hesitated, wondering what had happened.

"You better figure it out soon, this is one handy skill, especially for your next mission." He said, rubbing his together excitedly, "Let's get some privacy first." He led him to a small, hidden room, and shut the door behind him. "We need you to assassinate the queen." He said in a low voice.

Dark leaned back in his chair, exhaling heavily.

**I know it's kinda short, but as usual another chapter will be published tomorrow.**

**Or maybe even today, if my mood is cheerful. **


	12. Chapter 12

He practiced weeks for that mission, memorizing the palace's map, studying the security arrangements, practicing his new skill of disappearing into the shadows. He even ordered a special outfit, skin tight black clothing and a pair of soft shoes that made no sound as he walked. The master was personally in charge of preparing the poison and designing a unique syringe, so fine and sharp it was almost unnoticed when injecting. A healthy excitement warmed his insides, a feeling of importance; he was part of something big.

Intelligence was gathered about the sleeping habits of the royal family; the queen was a heavy sleeper, but the king has a tendency to wake up to the slightest noise. He carefully chose the weapons he was taking with him; the sword was too cumbersome to carry when breaking in, he took a dagger and a few Shurikens instead. By that time, his hands spilled so much blood, taken so many lives, so an assassination was as casual as brushing his teeth. It seems like the master picked the cruelest tasks for him, to toughen him, to harden his heart, and it worked. Despite what Nabooru has told him, against what his own conscious was saying, he gave up on the man he could have been and turned into a well oiled killing machine.

He mounted off his horse in a safe distant west to the castle, and continued the journey by foot, using the climbers that grew on the castle walls to climb above the outer walls. The guards were walking in fixed pattern, a mindless routine, and sneaking past them was almost ridiculously easy; he did encounter a problem trying to get into the palace since the main gate was heavily guarded. But he wouldn't let that tiny obstacle fail him; he walked around and examined the area only to found out there was an easy excess through the watering system of the royal gardens.

He swam through the canals, and popped out inside the gardens, halting for a second to enjoy the view; it was absolutely beautiful at night. An odd feeling crept into his stomach, as if he were there before, suddenly the place seemed awfully familiar. A warm confident filled him, like he has been doing it for centuries, he knew exactly where everything was, what was the shortest, safest way to reach the king's bedroom, precisely how many guards were placed there. He quietly opened one of the doors, marching into a corridor, and immediately pressed himself against the wall as a sloppy guard passed by.

That excitement, that thrill, he couldn't help but smile at the euphoric feeling, this knowing that he was meant for this mission. He moved silently through the hallways, until he reached a corner where he couldn't continue unnoticed; he waited for the soldier to walk close by and he leaped out from the shadows, twisting his neck with a sharp, skilled movement. He caught the body before it fell and placed it in a shadowed corner; they would probably find the poor guy only when the morning comes.

Another corridor, another turn, going a floor up, the security becomes heavier; he knew he was close. Two guards stood in front of the large doors of the royal bedroom, he slid across the wall in front of them, wrapped in the protective darkness until they were in his range. Two Shurikens flickered, spinning fast to hit the guards straight in the neck, cutting their vocals cords, and allowing him to kill them silently. He stood before the final door, ordering his breathe, making sure his hands were steady and slowly, carefully opened the lock, sneaking into the room.

The queen slept in the right side, the one that was closer to him; she wore a pinkish nightgown that showed off a well kept figure, and her light brown hair was spread on the pillow like a halo. He advanced further into the room, pulling out the syringe, her neck was exposed and he could easily locate a vein. The king snored loudly and he tensed looking at the source of the noise; he was fat and almost completely bold, holding onto a few thin hairs. Dark twisted his face; the king of Hyrule looked piggish and neglected, definitely unworthy of his queen.

He slid the syringe under the queen's delicate skin, thanking the goddesses for hitting the vein straight on, and injected the poison, pulling it out carefully, and backing away quietly. The king turned in his sleep, and for a moment he was sure he was spotted, but another snore came and his heart stopped racing. He walked out of the room, without any particular hurry, as if he hadn't just murdered a member of the royal family, and made his way out of the castle and back to his horse, riding back to the west as the sun rose behind his back.

The master waited for him in the main hall, "It was done, my lord."

"Very well, Dark." He grinned evilly, entangling his fingers together, "I'm pleased with you. And apparently, I'm not the only one." He added with amusement, pausing dramatically. "The Twinrova sisters had contact me; they praised your perfect manners, good looks and charm." His eyes seemed to stare at a point up and to his left, as if he declaim from his memory, "I hadn't known you were so successful with the ladies." His master remarked, snorting.

"I wasn't aware of it as well, master." He said in a quiet voice, his eyes lowered to the ground, and a light shade of pink stained his pale skin.

"Really?" the master inquired, giving him a piercing look, as if reading his mind, penetrating through his skull and pulling out pieces of information. "You should get out more, mingle, learn the way of the people. There is a world outside waiting for you to conquer it." His lord told him, in a somewhat fatherly way. "You seem to overwork lately. Now you have some free time. go out, explore."

"I will, my lord." He promised, with an eager spark lit in his eyes.

**Because I'm so nice. **

**Gotta love Dark and his inner struggles. Who wouldn't fall for the mysterious, complicated guy? **


	13. Chapter 13

Dark kept his promise. He was absent for weeks, not returning to the castle, and if he did it was only to report to the master. It seemed like Xino was missing him, he was overly emotional every time they met, in a Dinolfos scale of course. He went to see all the places he was reading about in books, and met all the races he studied on, riding his horse for hours a day, covering the vast land of Hyrule and learning its characters. Once he even furthered outside of the country's borders, visiting Termina; for an unknown reason nothing felt new to him, it was like returning to a place he had visited before.

When he walked among the people, he took off the frightening uniform and carried no sword, wearing commoners clothes and combing his hear in the latest fashion. He still differed from most, his features were too sharp and angled even for an elf, and his red eyes raised many questions; but he wasn't stared at, and did quite a good job blending into the crowd. He gained experience in socializing, learning the people's way, absorbing the culture, he even befriended with some. He laughed at the thought that even with all the effort invested in fitting in he still chose to befriend the outcasts.

The closest person to him was a man named Akin; they first encountered each other on businesslike terms, but kept in touch long afterwards. The master had asked for him to find a certain object of value, and he searched for a man that might hand him some help in this matter, thus meeting Akin. He was the greatest thief that graced that land for many years, and his name was carried in a whisper, Dark immediately knew he found the right man for the task. Unfortunately, Akin was damned by a curse that distorted his body, forcing him to hide under a cloak and leave his house only at nighttime.

Another thing he discovered was women. They seemed to be allured to him, to his dark aura and his exotic looks. Many rumors were spread regarding the red eyed stranger that came to town, most of them completely exaggerated or imaginary, but some were closer to the truth than you would expect. It only fed the desire, the curiosity, women craved for thrill of being around him, for the sense of danger. They weren't particularly interested in who he was, they cared only for what he reflected; the dark, mysterious, evil image he had. They wanted him to be dominate, aggressive, merciless, and that exactly what he gave them but beyond the minor physical release, he gained very little pleasure from these encounters. Soon enough, he lost interest.

It was a late night hour and the rude stares he got at the local bar seemed to tire him; he paid his small bill and left the place, heading towards Akin's house. He knocked on the old wooden door, and a hoarse voice inquired his identity in a suspicious voice. A moment later he was let in. The lighting was dim, which was another reason why he like this house, both of them like the comfort of the shadows.

He came to sit near the hooded man, watching the flames in the fire places as they danced wildly. "You seem even more troubled than ever." Akin remarked while taking a sip from his drink.

"I wonder," he said slowly, playing with his fingers, "Is there a price for freedom?"

"This is very general." The other man stated, shifting the hot mug from hand to hand.

"What would you do to win your freedom? To be released from a bond that tie you down?" Dark clarified his ponder.

"Absolutely anything." Akin replied confidently and sadly at the same time, "There's nothing I wouldn't do to be freed from this curse, a prisoner in my own home." He motioned at the distorted face hidden by the cowl.

"I've heard of someone that might help you. She's said to be an outstanding sorcerer, specializing in potions." Dark told him, and a vague picture of the girl's face popped in his mind, "You should try and contact her."

"I've been treated by the greatest wizards of this land." he replied with frustration, putting the mug down, "It's a lost battle." He stated in despair.

"I would give it a chance, there's nothing to lose." Dark mentioned, still caught by the dance of the fire, he found it beautiful. "The name is Arien; she lives in the Kokiri village."

"I will consider it, though I'm tempted to give up on this struggle," Akin shared in a tired voice, then turned his covered face to Dark, "Why were you asking me about freedom? What's bounding you?"

"It's complicated." He said with a sign.

"Well, I don't have plans for tonight; I might as well hear you talk." Akin encouraged him, and though he couldn't see, Dark was convinced he was smiling under his cowl. He ordered his thought and began to tell his story; how he woke up that day, naked, at his master's feet, and all about the research he did only to discover a bitter truth. It was the first time ever he really talked to someone about that matter, and for some reason he was confident Akin was able to rely.

**Hope you like it so far, because there are many chapters ahead.**


	14. Chapter 14

**KTP, you're like an angel sent from above, but y****our email miraculously disappeared from the message you sent.**

**My email adress can be seen in my profile, please contact me.**

He had been watching her for weeks, when she came to town to the deliver Akin's medicine, when she worked at her home, when she wandered in the Lost Woods searching for some peace of mind; he was there, taking note of every move. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who showed interest in her; the Hylian asked her to join them before his master's reached a decision. She accepted their offer, and joined that blond haired boy, the so called hero; he disliked him from the moment he laid his eyes upon him.

He tried to look at the subject from an objective point of view; if his master respects her enough to see her as an alley, he would also see her as a threat. Even as Ganon's ambassador he knew that siding with him would be foolish, and eventually end in death, by his hands or by the Hylian's. So when his master finally decided to recruit her, he was hoping she would refuse to switch sides as he started to favor her, after studying her for so long. She was different, he knew that somehow she could feel his presence; a few times she was staring right at him when he hid in the shadows, no one ever done that before. But she seemed uncertain, unsure about her rare abilities and dismissed what she had seen. Until that day, when she spoke to him.

"Show yourself," her voice was soft, soothing, a polite request. He stared at her, at the wild hair that haloed her head, and the fierce eyes that radiated silent strength.

"As you wish," he accepted her request, in a smooth voice, and stepped out of the darkness, riding a magical horse his master had given to him; it was more of a ghost than a living animal and it fitted perfectly his phantom qualities. She seemed to be too fascinated by the dark beast to notice he dismounted it and was approaching her slowly. "I'm impressed. Never before someone noticed my presence unless I allowed it." He said in a quiet voice, close to her.

"I felt you the previous time as well, but it was so vague I believed my mind was fooling me. This time, I couldn't ignore this haunting feeling anymore." her voice was calm, fearless; her myrtle eyes stared right into his red ones, without a blink. She was examining him, estimating who she was facing, and he did just the same, studying her and making his conclusions.

He felt defiance, pride, suspicion, curiosity all mixed in her aura; something about her was strange, she was oddly alluring. He put a moderated smile upon his lips. "It's time for us to meet. I'm an ambassador sent by Gannon, to present you an offer."

"Let me guess, I shall join him and rule beside him as the queen of darkness?" she inquired in a bitter, cynical voice, and an equally cynical, equally bitter expression morphed on her face.

"I couldn't rephrase it better myself," he replied in a silky voice, enjoying her wit and sharpness, he let a bang of ebony hair fall on his face, and watched her force a smile. "The meaning of this is that as soon as the war ends and he finishes using me, he'd kill me the first opportunity he's got." She summarized, reaching the right conclusion, and he couldn't help but smile wider at her directness.

"It does sound quite like him," he confirmed in an honest voice, shifting his weight from leg to leg with slight inconvenience, not bothering to convince her otherwise.

"I certainly hope that being an emissary isn't your main profession," she commented with an amused smile, surprised by his honesty "You do quite a horrible job."

"Well," he leaned forward, whispering in a husky voice, "I serve two masters; the dark lord, and my humble self." A cunning grin played on his lips. He watched her expression suddenly darken; all her diversion seemed to disappeared as she scowled in understanding. "He…he created you, from Link?" she barely maintained her voice audible, an unstable whisper.

"Indeed," his eyes flashed in the dim lighting, he expected her to notice the resemblance between them, but he hated the thought she could tell what he was, "A drop of Link's blood, a portion of Gannon's flesh and a few forgotten spells." He explained shortly, and the words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He looked at her attentively, scanning her expression and noticing the tiniest waggling; her horror grew into something else, stronger and much emotional, it was blazing rage. Her hands clenched into fists as she exclaimed, "This is the most base, cowardly, immoral act of witchcraft I had ever witnessed!"

His relaxed expression changed to surprise, his eyebrows cocked and his cheek slightly sucked in, his ears pricked as she continued to call his master by many rude names, "You shouldn't surrender to his will." She stated, her piercing eyes boring holes in his skull, as if forcing him to fight his own master.

"His will is what keeps me alive, as much as you can call this parody a life," his voice was moderated, content, but he couldn't fool himself; so much sadness lay behind this masquerade of lies.

"It is quite amazing, I must admit, you're the first of your kind to hit perfection," she spoke with excitement, eagerness, a fire was burning inside her, igniting her, "But dealing with this field, this aspect of black magic, is much more than forbidden, it leaves the sorcerer soulless."

Her words somewhat moved him, she was so passionately moral, and he couldn't resist the urge to smile pleasantly at her idealism, giving up on the usually cold appearance. "I find it surprising and heartwarming, that you from all sorcerers seem to oppose it so passionately. Dealing with the darkness hasn't corrupted your soul, your heart is pure. You probably heard it before." He said in a soft voice, his eyes lingering on her porcelain skin, he felt certain sweetness, contrary to her aggressive approach.

"I did," she admitted, and by the vagueness in her eyes he could tell she recalled something, but she soon return to look at him keenly, "You're nothing like Link," she declared.

"I couldn't say, you know him better than I do. I try my best to follow my covert feelings, hoping they aren't devilishly implanted by my master." He said wryly, crossing his arms over his chest, a skeptic look upon his sharp features.

"You definitely created your own character, and an impressive amount of free will. Maybe a rebellion is to be expected?" she wondered with a satisfied expression, and he could feel her eyes prey, scanning his body.

"Not any time soon." He promised, with a wink, "I must leave now, I'll see you around."

"Haven't you fulfilled your task?" she raised her eyebrows at the hint of another encounter.

"I have, but my orders do not specifically forbid me from seeing you again, if you wish, of course." He said, outsmarting, flirting with confidence he didn't know he possessed. For a moment he felt vulnerable, exposed as he waited for her reply.

"I'd like that." Her answer was polite, but her voice sounded naughty, sly. Her hand was sent to play with her hair, she brushed it away from her face, exposing her neck as well, she was completely unaware to her flirting ways.

A sincere smile lightened his face, he breathed out with relief, a warm feeling filled his chest; it made him straightened his back, and hold his head high. He took her hand gently, enjoying her smooth skin and planted a soft kiss on the back of her hand, slowly raising his eyes to meet her in a purely seductive way. "Farewell, my lady." He said in a tender, satin like voice, taking one last glimpse of those peculiar face before he turned around, mounted his shadow horse and sped away.

This was the most pleasant task he was ever given.

He thought it was better if he left out some of his impression of her, when he would report to his master.

**If there's something particular you'd like to know about my charming Dark, or wish to see him I a certain situation, I'd love to hear ideas and see if it fits into my master plan. **


	15. Chapter 15

"Well, that might be problematic," the master said thoughtfully after Dark had reported Arien's refusal. "What exactly did she say?" he inquired, leaning forward towards him.

"She figured you would see her as a threat later on," he replied, the hands behind his back digging into his flesh unconsciously.

"Smart girl," the dark lord remarked with a satanic smirk on his face, "Is she as good as they say?"

"She's strong," he answered honestly, trying to shake her image from his thoughts, "She can see me."

"Then maybe I shall have one decent fight after all," his master rubbed his hands together with satisfactory, completely unnerved by the turning of events. "The war is soon to break," he added in a more serious tone, "First, we're going to occupy our dear hero and his red headed friend; I'll send you to spread some evil in strategic points."

"Yes, my lord," he said humbly, lowering his eyes, and listening carefully.

"We will keep them busy, and give them a feeling their achieving something." A cunning grin morphed on the olive skinned face, yellow poisonous eyes flash with excitement, "While I continue creating my real attack force."

"I did notice the increasing numbers of the Stalfos and Dinolfos." Dark mentioned, estimating there were already more of them than soldiers in the Hylian army.

"It's the tip of the iceberg," an arrogant respond came, "There will be many more. And I have some other ideas of improving our might."

"Will you share your wisdom with me, my lord?" Dark asked ingratiatingly, sickened by his own behavior.

The master gave a long, examining look, boring holes in his head with those pair of dreadful eyes, who seemingly could penetrate steal as easily as human tissues. "I've taught you well, Dark, maybe too well," he said in dangerous tone, and something inside Dark's stomach froze, "You will know everything, when it's time." an almost pleasant smile appeared behind the red mustache and he felt relived. "But now I have a mission for you."

Dark raised his eyes, watching the lord attentively, waiting for his orders. "The first target is the Forest Temple; you will lead my phantom there."

"Your phantom, master?" he inquired, curious, his imagination racing in the speed of light, trying to paint a picture in his mind.

"Come with me, son" His master said in a soft voice, which made him quiver; it was so unnatural and wrong. The dark lord rose from his throne, tall and majestic, his shoulders were almost twice as wide as Dark's; his appearance was filled him with awe. He walked after him to the deepest dungeons of the castle, where the air was cold and moldy, and the shadows had a mind of their own. They passed through many doors, a few were unlocked, others were opened with a key, but the last one only opened to the lord's touch.

It was a spacious, lightened room; it had the feeling of an ancient torturing chamber. However, it was used for a different goal now, it was a laboratory; jars and flasks, tubes and bottles covered the shelves on the walls. He could wander in that room for hours, there were so many fascinating tools and devices, oddly alluring equipment, but above all what drew his attention was the enormous aquarium in the middle.

A dark man stood in there, he seemed as solid as flesh could be yet Dark's sharp eyes could point out the illusion; he was as vague as smoke. But when he pounded the thick glass with his hands, the noise was real and the prism shuddered; Dark squinted his eyes, he did not like what he saw. "This is Phantom Ganon," the master presented the raging figure imprisoned; "He carries some of my powers, and is very capable of causing severe damage in the temple."

Nausea attacked him, he could feel the bitter taste of his digestion fluids climbing up his throat, was he created in the very same room?

"He doesn't seem too cooperative," Dark remarked as the misty replica tried to wreck the prism and break free, while sending hateful glares toward both of them.

His master let out a bitter laughter, his chuckles were so horrid that even the creature stopped his wildness, "This is way I ask you to escort him, and not some brainless pile of bones." He informed him, criticizing the Stalfos's lack of wisdom.

He went to one of the selves and took out a collar connected to a chain, "This should help you control him," he said confidently, and with a snap of his fingers the prism disappeared. A moment passed before the phantom realized he was free, then he run in amok straight at them; the dark lord raised his hand and the creature fall to the ground, howling in pain. Just like he did.

"Listen slave, you will obey your master." His master voice thundered in the room, bouncing from the walls and amplified, he fought the weakness in his knees and kneeled down to bound the phantom with the collar, holding tightly on the chain. The dark lord let his hand drop, and now his shadow was only held by the collar, which seemed to neutralize him. "You will follow Dark to the Forest Temple, where you will be unleashed, free to cause as much havoc as you wish,"

"Pleasure," the phantom replied, his voice was as low and thick as the master's, and the dangerous sparkle in his eyes greatly resemble the original.

The master turned to Dark, watching his reactions, "It's already dark outside, take him to the temple." He ordered, and Dark obeyed, dragging the phantom through the reeking corridors to the ground floor, and headed to find his devilish companion a horse.

**So if you ever wondered how those awful bosses got to the temples, I have all the answers! *evil laughter***


	16. Chapter 16

**The next chapter was edited by the lovely Katie, who agreed to help me improve my writing skills.**

**From now on she will be assisting me, and if you notice any positive changes, you should thank her.**

**Enjoy.**

They wandered through the Lost Woods, he drew a picture in his mind of the Forest Temple, stating clearly where he wanted to go; it was the only way to travel in those mysterious woods, you had to visualize your destination. He finally had managed to drag the disobedient demon into the Forest Temple though the ride had been a continuous torture since the phantom would not stop fighting and trying to escape. The worst part, though, was the creature's never ending blubbering. It could have been an enjoyable ride, and Dark mustered every bit of patience he had, fighting the urge to permanently mute the demon.

They reached the marble stairs of the temple, where a little child stood with hands crossed, brown bangs falling over his stubborn face. "Move," Dark growled in annoyance, thinking that babysitting two mentally disturbed creatures was more than he could take. The boy's expression radiated arrogance and impertinence dripped from every cell of his being.

"No, I'm Mido and I'm guarding this temple for Saria." The tenacious kid stated, blocking their way, defiant look on his face. Dark exhaled heavily; he had enough of such silly games. Sword thrust, cutting through the air in a hiss; Dark watched indifferently as Mido's severed head rolled on the ground at his feet.

He pulled the phantom after him into the temple, only to hear a taunting whisper behind him; "Murderer…".

Dark broke out in goose bumps and he turned around slowly to face the demon, suppressing the impulse to justify this title.

Instead, he pulled the chains hard, sending the creature crashing into the floor, in the middle of a square, spacious room. He released the demon from its magical collar, and looked at him with contempt. "Justify your existence," Dark spat, turning.

"Do you justify your existence?" the demon teased him, slowly rising to his feet.

A blazing wrath rose inside of him, burning his skin as it tried to escape. His face twisting in anger, when he turned around to face the creature, he wasn't the same person anymore. He saw how the demon watched him with horror, crawling away from him, which made Dark wonder what had caused him to radiate this bestial power, this primeval sense of self esteem. He recalled a shard of a memory from long ago, in the age of the legends, but it soon faded and waned.

He noticed that his fierce grip on the sword was hard enough to crumple the metal, and a low, dangerous growl escaped his throat. This savage power, that uncompromising confidence, it horrified him. He ran out of the temple before he did something he might regret, losing himself in the woods, until his inner beast was exhausted. Clarify of thought returned; it had fled when that anger had arisen in his mind. He decided to stay the night at the forest, reflecting ,musing, trying to grasp what had happened, fighting to recreate this feeling again, wishing he knew what he had remembered for a moment, and forgotten for a life time once again.

He recalled an interesting thought, he must have read it in a book while researching in the library: "our dreams should be stronger than our memories. We must be pulled by our dreams, rather than pushed by our memories." Maybe what he could not remember was not all that important; maybe what really mattered was what he would accomplish.

He wandered aimlessly, the morning sun beams caressing his pale skin. He bent down and picked up a flower; it was red and spiky, resembling a certain sorcerer he knew. His contemplating was interrupted as he heard voices from far away. His ears pricked, focusing on the source of the noise. He spotted it almost immediately, as the two people walking did little to avoid notice on their way to purify the temple from the evil plaguing it. He studied the tall, brawny male dressed in the green Kokiri attire; his appearance was rather impressive but Dark doubted it justified the pompous title "Hero of Time". A tiny smile formed on his thin lips; walking in lead was the red haired witch, with a suspicious, ominous expression plastered on her face. Her restless eyes locked on him, not fooled by the illusive shadows. "On what purpose are you here?"

He could not avoid chuckling at her hot temper and directness, stepping out of the shadows, while smoothing the creases in his tunic with graceful movements. "It's really challenging to play 'hide and seek' with you, my lady." He teased; the fire in those furious eyes of hers resembled an angry, spoiled child.

He saw that the light haired lad was staring at him in confusion; he knew his appearance startling, particularly when he stepped out of the shadows like a ghost. "Today I'm a neutral observer, waiting to see the most absurd pairing in the history of the world in action." His voice was pleasant, harmonic and a mischievous smirk lightened his dark aura. He did find that coupling utterly strange; according to the intelligence he collected, they had been bitter rivals since their school days. That must be interesting.

"I certainly hope you will find us amusing," she spat harshly, unnerved by his mockery, leaving both he and the blue eyed warrior to stare at her back as she furiously marched on. The lad followed managing to tear his eyes from Dark, and asked in a horrified voice, "What in the name of the goddesses was that thing?"

He heard her sigh. "It's complicated. Let's just say he's not your friend, but he's not my foe," her matter-of-fact response invited no further question.

"Does it mean he's your friend and my foe?" the warrior asked, slightly puzzled at the evasive answer.

"No. It means exactly what I said. I'm very capable of phrasing my own sentences." Now she was annoyed, and Dark laughed softly at the boy's expression of helplessness. He silently followed them through the temple, watching how they communicated, cooperated; they did much better than he expected. There was a clear division: she did most of the navigating and planning, he contributed his muscles and fighting skills. They seemed to make a good pair after all.

He waited for them just near the boss room, just as Arien was about to unlock the door, he spoke from the shadows, "Illusions and distortion of reality as you know it seem to be the main theme of the spell. Do not be tempted to use your magic here." As he delivered these words, pain stabbed his chest like a fist crashing his lungs. He should have foreseen the punishment for his friendly advice.

"Are you taking a side?" she queried, a sweet, enchanting smile appearing on her face. He had never softness like that in her before.

"Not at all. I might be deceiving you this very moment." He replied quickly in a smooth voice, and the smile left her face, reverting to its usual scorn. She was attractive both ways; the thought crossed his mind, surprising even himself.

"Good luck, my lady." He wished her.

With that left the temple, hoping the damned phantom would get his well deserved ending.


	17. Chapter 17

**I have the next chapter ready, and I'll publish him soon.**

**As for chapter 19, it needs to be edited, so be patient :)**

He sat in his room, planning a training program for his brigade; his master insisted he participate in military practice, as a colonel should. He sketched a few structures in his notebook that they should try out, wings diversion that needed to be determined, he didn't find this task too challenging but it was nice exercise of his tactical abilities. While he planning, Ganon's informers brought him news of the phantom's quick defeat. Dark he grinned, he expected his master to be anxious about the outcome. However the master was unbothered by it, and Dark secretly thought this arrogance may be dangerous.

The best reports came from the most unexpected source; Akin had befriended the witch after she had succeeded in curing him, and he shared with Dark everything bit of information. He closed the notebook, and gently placed it on his bed, glancing outside of his window; it was already dark. He needed some fresh air that was as far away from the castle as he could possibly get; the more he traveled the more he felt choked in that fortress. It wouldn't let him forget for a moment what he was.

Dark left dressed in civilian attire, black pants and a loose white shirt, a dark robe covering his shoulders sloppily. He received a few evil glares as he left the officers' dormitories. He his colleagues hated him for the favored treatment he was given and envied him for his superior skills. He was just better. He ignored them, knowing full well they would not dare do anything to him after what had happened recently.

A group of superior officers and their subordinates ambushed him one night after he had returned from a mission, cornering him in one the yards near the dormitories. Something inside of him exploded, he breaking all his civilized boundaries, the demon inside him finally broken free. When Xino reached the scene, awakened by the noise of the battle, he saw Dark kneeling, breathless and bleeding, surrounded by enough bodies to assemble a company. When he was questioned by his master that night, Dark could see in his eyes something that was never there before; awe.

Leaving those unpleasant thoughts behind he mounted his horse and galloped away, in the general direction of Hyrule castle. He decided to pay Akin a visit and knocked on his door lightly. Instead of hastily letting Dark in and closing the door, Akin suggested they take a walk. He was surprised and even more so when he saw Akin's face in the torch light. With his classical Elven features and big amber eyes, Akin would be considered handsome anywhere, the change was unbelievable.

"Amazing isn't it?"

Dark only nodded, lost in thought as they wandered through the town's streets, until Akin broke the silence, "I guess you were involved in the attack on the Forest Temple," he said with a daring smile, clearly thrilled.

"Indeed, I must maintain my reputation as an evil being or I might lose my appeal among the ladies," his sarcastic voice was as poisonous as a sneak bite.

Akin snorted loudly, "You don't seem to show much interested in ladies anyway."

"Are you implying something?" Dark cocked an eyebrow, slightly amused.

"Well, I wouldn't go as far as accusing you of fancying boys," Akin gave him a toothy grin, "I cherish my life too much," He added, amber eyes sparkling in the dim torch light. "But you do seem apathetic; I mean with your looks…"

"I find the women of this town dull, blabbering, shallow and melodramatic." Dark replied sharply, he had very little patience for such people.

"That's women in general you're talking about; geographical location has no affect on their nature." His companion laughed wholeheartedly, letting his light brown hair fall over his face.

"I disagree," he protested confidently, having the perfect example pop in his mind. A tiny smile made its way to his mouth, replacing his impatient scowl. Akin studied his face; he could see how the left part of his lips grimaced, curling upward in a knowing smirk.

"I assume you were thinking of Arien," he voiced his thoughts, shoving his hands to his pockets. He received neither confirmation nor denial. "I took the liberty to ask her a general question, about your condition," his Akin hesitated, as if he was afraid to upset him.

Dark watched him questioningly, waiting for him to continue, but instead of talking the man pulled a letter out of his pocket, handing it to Dark. "She insisted the only one that should read her reply was you." he said, looking slightly puzzled, "For some reason, her solution only works this way."

He opened the letter and Akin stepped aside to give him some privacy, Dark scanned the letter franticly as he read the detailed reply. The idea was simple, but the execution was… problematic.

"It's not going to work," he spat bitterly, and Akin sighed heavily in despair. However the suggestion gave him some hope. Dark halted his progress as they reached a more populated area; his eyes were focused on something and Akin followed his gaze. Arien had just entered Thelma's pub, and Dark greedily catalogued every detail of her appearance in his mind: the floating black gown with the skin tight red dress beneath it. He hesitated, weighing his options when his escort said, "Just go after her already."


	18. Chapter 18

Akin gave him an encouraging tap on the shoulder, and turned away leaving him no choice but to follow the sorcerer into the bar. He had never fancied the place, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. Dark found her easily the crowded pub; her appearance was so different from everyone else, from her uncommon features to the intense color of her clothes. She emptied her glass of dark liquid as he walked to her. "Whatever you're going to ask, the answer is no." she stated bluntly, keeping her eyes on the empty glass she held.

"I beg you to reconsider," he replied with as much seductiveness as he could muster which was more than enough to convince most women. She recognized his voice but when she turned to look at him and he could tell she was surprised; he assumed his elegant appearance had something to do with it. He used her confused silence for his advantage "Will you dance with me, my lady?"

He offered her his hand, adding a charming smile, while her prying eyes looked him over. He found it flattering rather than intruding. She took his hand, and a light shade of pink stained her cheeks. He led her to the dance floor, smiling at her shyness. A thought popped into his head: he never learned to dance, but before he could rebuke himself for his stupidity he discovered his body knew exactly what to do. The same body that was usually so brutal and deadly was now agile and graceful, as if he had been practicing it for years. He couldn't remember learning to dance.

He took the opportunity to study her fac. Her skin tone was as pale as his, contradicting with the devilish red of her curls which emphasized the myrtle green orbs that looked back at him timidly. The unmatched colors irritated the eye at first, but upon closer inspection, her face was oddly beautiful. One hand was placed on her back, he only felt bones and muscles, she lacked the softness of a fully developed woman and her coy behavior implied immaturity as well. The music slowed down, and he gently pulled her as close as dare to him, feeling the heat radiating from her body.

A genuine smile played on his lips; he felt carefree for the first time, entirely distracted by the young damsel. Something about her bipolar behavior was enchanting. She was a defiant, powerful sorcerer, and at the same time a shy girl, blushing at his courting. The heat was growing to be unbearable and for his own sake he suggested "Care for some fresh air?"

She seemed relieved as the heat was affecting her to and followed him outside, taking seat in a safe distance from him on a bench. She took out of her pocket a thick cigarette, lit up, and offered him a puff. He watched her with amused, and took the cigarette, inhaling deeply. The strong mixture filled his lungs, with a warm peacefulness, "Good quality," he remarked, and passed her the smoke.

She seemed happy for some reason, turning sparkling eyes to look at him, "Ganon seems to be a convenient master, letting you party like this." She joked, exhaling a ring of smoke.

"How would you know I'm not following his orders at this very moment?" his voice was dangerously low, and his eyes shone with a satanic red gleam, as she passed him the cigarette.

"Well, if that's a part of your job, tell him I might reconsider my position," she said ranting, obviously unsatisfied with her situation; all of Hyrule's hopes were pinned on her, and he assumed it was a heavy burden to carry. He found her enjoyable, softly chuckling at her comment, and returned the butt of a last puff. He lowered his hand to rest on the bench, accidentally touching hers, and pulled back immediately, as if he was burned by her touch, with an apologetic smile. He watched her as she finished smoking, recalling a report he got from Ganon's spies in the Hyrule palace. Princess Zelda had recently granted her a legendary sword, forged a thousand years ago, and used by a selected few of Hyrule's royal family.

He tore his eyes from her and gazed at the full moon, "I heard you were worthy of the 'Four Winds'." He told her. He had wondered for some time now how she had been given a sword that was used by the first king's brother and protector.

"How would you know that?" she cocked an eyebrow, trying to appear casual, but the tension in her lips gave away her concern.

"Your princess should choose her servants more carefully," he hinted, and the pain struck right away. The pressure on his lungs caused him to cough up blood in his handkerchief. He watched her expression of horror mixed with wrath; his master would have a furious rival. "Ganon has his ways of ensuring I don't say too much," his voice was slightly dry, as he caught his breath quickly.

"Have you giving any thought to the meaning of that matter?" he inquired, referring to the sword she was rewarded.

She seemed reluctant to discuss this subject, "It means royal blood pumps through my veins," she summed up shortly.

He gave her a dubious smirk, "I sense some family issues." He concluded, and by her expression he could tell he was right. "However, you must know that before you come to face the Dark Lord. It would be in your favor if you addressed the princess about that matter," he advised her in a convincing tone, careful not to sound too pushy.

"Why are you helping me? You said you wouldn't cross sides." She crossed her arms over her chest; he could easily imagine the stubborn, rebellious child she had been. She turned to look at him, and he noticed how focused she was, studying the topology of his face, trying to read him.

"Your methods will not help in my case, you can't read a face of a shadow," he told her, sadly and honestly, and her expression softened, "I'm not helping you Arien, and if I was helping someone, it would be none other than myself." His voice was cold and distant as he did not wish to deceive her.

She still watched him attentively, not only curios but caring; her attention was so… heartwarming.

"So what is our beloved hero like?" he questioned with a taunting voice, naughtiness sparkling in his crimson eyes. She never seemed repulsed by his strange looks, like others did.

She laughed sweetly, melodically as at that very moment Link walked out of the pub, as if on cue. A girl was hanging on his arm. "He's not as bad as you might think." She admitted, looking thoughtful, "No debauchery or megalomania as typically found in Heroes, just stone hard loyalty and an intense work ethic." As she spoke, he noticed the said hero eyeing her with an angry expression that could be interpreted in many ways.

"Was he just giving you a possessive, jealous kind of look?" he snickered, delight gracing his face, earning a playful smack on his shoulder, followed by a loud protest "Of course not!"

His instincts kicked in and he managed to grab her hand before she could pull it back, he pulled her closer to him with a smooth movement, wrapping his arm around her shoulders; he was feeling courageous that day. "I don't think it's absurd."

She snorted, "A red headed witch and a half blood?" She looked at him with disbelief from the corner of her eye.

"I think red heads are pretty hot," he remarked, causing her to immediately look the other way, flustered. "You two seem overcome your bitter rivalry. Now he has you as a partner, someone he fights with side by side, very aware of your qualities: your wisdom, skills, bravery. I would be impressed."

He noticed how her face matched the color of her hair, she was not used to compliments, and her humbleness appealed to him. A wolf howl was heard from far away, and he noticed that the darkest hours of the night had already passed, replaced by the pinkish glow of early morning. He stood up abruptly. "I must leave now," he said urgently and she rose as well, her eyes fixed on him, "I wish to see you again," he confessed, his eyes lowered to the ground, shyness overtaking him.

He felt her wand poke at his chest and she said in cheerful voice, "Your wish is granted." The sweet smile on her face was genuine, and he felt relieved. His hand slowly raised to caress her face, his eyes locked on hers, drowning in her contradicting green orbs. He leaned in, placed a soft kiss on her cheek and disappeared into the shadow, trying to calm his racing heart. He hadn't felt that alert and tense since he battled those officers who ambushed him. The tips of his fingers still held the pleasant feeling of her smooth skin, and her laughter rang in his head.


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry for the delay. Chapter 20 will be published soon :)**

He hit the road as soon as the sun disappeared over the horizon. He enjoyed those nocturnal rides because it was the closest thing to freedom he had ever felt: the wind in his face, the endless wide open space, and only the sound of his horse's hooves. He was heading north to the highest place in Hyrule, and one of the most unwelcoming environments such could come across in a fairly friendly land Hyrule. He passed the guards in the Kakariko in a gallop that he was already on Death Mountain Trial before they realized what had happened.

He left his horse near the Goron city because the path up to the Fire Temple was too dangerous for a horse: the slope was too steep, the ground too rocky and too many of those damned boulders falling out of nowhere. He hated this pathway, especially when he had to carry that ridiculous hammer his master gave him. Couldn't he make this magical maul lighter as well?

The heat was becoming unbearable, and he blessed Xino for reminding him to wear his Goron tunic. The special fabric did provide protection from the serious heat damage, but it did not prevent him from sweating his soul out. He grunted all the way up. The climb was difficult: he had to pull himself up with his hands, place his feet in the smallest niches, hold onto tiny bumps, and hope the slightest mistake did not result in a twenty meter fall.

He sat on the last cliff, just near the entrance to the crater, and all Hyrule was spread at his feet; the moon shone brightly in the sky, the sight was breathtaking. He sighed and got to his feet, walking into the volcano. Torridity hit him redefining the meaning of hot. Dry, burning winds stormed in the crater, he was sweltering and his eyes were almost blinded by the sand carried in the air. He struggled to progress, loathing the idea that he had to go straight down where the lava fizzed.

He walked on the rickety bridges all the way down to the bottom of this hell and entered the temple, exhausted. Simple frustration drove him to break everything in his way, from jars to art pieces. He sowed destruction from the very first room to the heart of the volcano. He opened the heavy stone doors that lead to the heart of the mountain and marched to the middle of the round arena surrounded by lava. He gripped the heavy hammer tightly and smashed it to the ground, shaking the place, but nothing happened. He used the heavy weapon again without result.

His anger threatened to break out of control; he hadn't come that far to fail in his mission. His crimson eyes searched around for the slightest sign of motion, but there was none.

"Volvagia, I summon you in the name of the Dark Lord!" he roared, smashing the hammer one last time with all his might.

There was silence, but then he started to feel the ground beneath his feet shake, and geysers burst out around him without a warning, almost frying him alive. The lava fizzed loudly, and the smell of sulfur burnt his nostrils. He heard a horrid roar from the bottom of the earth; the beast awoke.

It burst out of the lava: an ancient demon of fire taking the shape of an enormous dragon, an evil that was asleep for centuries now aroused with black and red scales, a mane made of flames and claws harder than diamonds, the creature was awe striking. The hideous head came down, stopping right in front of Dark's face, emerald orb staring at him.

"You say the dark lord has summoned me. Who would that be?" the demon whispered in a husky voice, "It's hard to be updated when you're put to sleep for centuries," he added bitterly.

"The Lord Ganon of the Dorf dynasty," Dark replied formally, without a single hint of the anxiety that crawled into his heart when he stood so close to those giant canines.

"Dorf you say? Yes, they were my allies years ago." The dragon hissed, reminiscing. "I thank him for breaking the spell and awakening me. What is his request?"

"Desecrate the temple, cause as much damage as you can to the Goron city nearby. A witch and a warrior will come to battle you; kill them." Dark briefed him dryly, wishing to leave that cursed place already.

"It will be done, my demon friend," Volvagia's glassy eyes flashed with thrill, and something like a smile twisted his face, "I remember you from the previous time."

Dark squinted, troubled. "You mistake me with someone else."

"You cannot be mistaken, Shadow Master." The monster said in a raspy voice, "Dragon's memory never fails."

Dark only nodded, bowed politely, and left the room in a casual walk, but as soon as the doors closed behind him he sprinted out of that temple like his life depended on it.

Why was this place, and that creature making him feel so uncomfortable?

And who was the Shadow Master?


	20. Chapter 20

**You'll have to wait a little for Chapter 21, it wasn't editted yet. Enjoy.**

He halted his horse near the well in Kakariko village and jumped in, letting the cool water soothe his burning skin. The Goron tunic kept him alive, but the heat at Death Mountain still traumatized him. It was an hour before sunrise, and the village was peaceful, quiet, asleep; he liked the streets when they were empty. He changed his clothes confident he wouldn't be surprised by anyone. He wasn't tired in the common, physical meaning of the word, but mentally worn out. Overtaken by Idleness he was reluctant to ride back to the Master's castle so he strolled around the village allowing his legs carry him without a clear target.

He stopped at the graveyard; this place felt like home for some strange reason. He read each tombstone inscription; various people were buried there, from the royal family members to the mysterious Sheikah and even composers. He walked around restlessly Volvagia's words would not leave his mind, and in that graveyard he felt closer to the answer than ever before, but he wasn't quite there. He sat on the ground, leaning his back on the cold stone and closed his eyes so that he could disconnect from reality. A gentle tap on his shoulder made him focus again; he looked up to see an old, hump-back man.

"Sir, this is not a place to sleep in."

"I wasn't sleeping," Dark replied truthfully, "I was just …musing."

"Your eyes resemble Sheikah eyes," the grave keeper said thoughtfully, "Do you have someone dear to you buried here? Well, I guess you can stay…" he told him without waiting for an answer. Dark lingered there for many hours, his mind stuffed with theories, assumptions, guesses, but none of them seemed to fit. Eventually he got up and returned to his horse, riding towards Kokiri forest.

He tossed a pebble at Arien's window, and she came out a moment later. He leaned his elbows on the fence behind him, his body arched gracefully, and watched her as she walked.

"I heard you spread some terror in Castle Town," he teased, grinning widely. Akin had told him she had punched the mayor's daughter in the face, causing the whole town to turn against her.

"That is one way of seeing it," her eyebrows were cocked, suggesting otherwise. "I view it as self defense." Her wording amused him, and he chuckled. He took a hold of her hand, leading her as they slowly strolled to the lake near the shop; he glanced at her, she wasn't the prettiest girl he had seen, but she was definitely the wittiest.

"You seem to upset many important people, not just the mayor" he informed her, and his eyes followed her gaze: she had just noticed he cast no shadow. Her eyes met his with a questioning look and he explained, "The council may present a unified front, but many oppose their liberal views. The nobility is unlikely to accept someone like you as their savior."

"They're ignorant." She stated firmly. "However, if the princess of Hyrule and the hero of time view me as equal, a change can be made." Her expression was defiant, hopeful, and the fire in her eyes seemed eternal. He wished to find that kind of sparkle inside himself.

"I really don't see why you care…" he said frankly, lowering his eyes, envying her for her passion and admiring her as well.

"It is an ambivalent feeling: I'd damn them all to hell for how they have treated me for years, on the other hand I was given a rare chance to change things." She answered, and he could sense a hint of pride in her voice. "Maybe I can make a difference for the likes of you and me,"

"Me? What do I have to do with that?" he dissembled cocking an eyebrow at her statement, his lips curling and revealing a row of perfect white fangs. She gave him a firm look, demanding his attention and seriousness.

"In the hypothetical case where you had sided with Hyrule, you'd still be considered an abomination, a desecrated freak of nature."

His eyes flashed hazardously, glowing scarlet, he leaped forward and pinned her against a tree trunk, his body pressed to hers, "Do you think of me as an abomination as well?" he hissed in her ear, letting his breath hit her neck.

She shivered slightly but shot back him a fierce glare, "I think of you as a man," her voice was soft, soaked with emotions. Her words flew like an arrow straight to his heart. He backed away slightly, scanning her face with a blank expression. He managed to maintain an unreadable expression but his hand rose against his will to cup her cheek, wandering across the outlines of her face, enchanted. Warmth erupted inside of him as he inhaled the scent of her hair: peaches. He craved the feeling of her breathe on his skin.

He tore himself from her, fighting the hunger he felt, and lowered his eyes to the ground, "You're a very unique woman, Arien."

"You're not that bad yourself," she said jokingly, placing her hands behind her head as she leaned her head on the tree trunk.

"How's your training going?" He inquired casually, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"It was going well at the beginning, but now it seems like I will never make a decent swordswoman." She admitted bitterly, obviously frustrated.

"Well, show me what you've got," he said playfully, drawing out his sword as she stared at him in slight shock. It took her a moment before she realized he was serious, and she pulled out her sword as well laughing wholeheartedly at the odd situation. They circled each other, Dark watched her try to anticipate his moves. He launched forward effortlessly overwhelming her with fast blows. She managed to handle a few hits, but soon enough his sword was at her neck.

"Again." He ordered, backing away and letting her prepare herself.

This time she foresaw a few of his moves, and surprised him with a couple of counterattacks, lasting longer in this battle of colliding, crashing blades. But again she was cornered, he could see admiration in her eyes; he knew how to use his agility and grace to impress a lady.

"Better." He told her, smiling tightly, preparing for another round. She was wiser this time, imitating his sharp bends of the wrist instead of cumbersome movements of the arm. She kept moving, like he did, never standing in one place. Maintaining proper technique, she blocked a vertical blow, and dodged another hit. He gave her a perfect opportunity to hit him, but she hesitated. He threw her on her back with a massive blow.

She cringed as her back hit the ground in pain but remained silent. He returned his sword to its sheath and kneeled beside her, eyes narrowed in concern as he supported her with his hand and helped her sit. She ordered her breathing and soon jumped to her feet.

"You've got good potential, but you're missing one crucial thing," he gave her his professional opinion, "Intention. You're afraid to kill. It slows you down and holds you back. Change your attitude if you wish to defeat the Dark Lord."

Her expression turned morbid, letting out a sigh. The burden she was carrying was heavy and she seemed desperate for once. Two strong arms grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to stand straight and carry herself proudly, bravely. She raised her eyes to meet his, mustering her strength, and he was intoxicated with the freshness of her looks: the burning blush on pale skin, the cobalt shine in her gaze, the heart shaped face.

Suddenly she launched forward, burying her face in his chest, arms wrapped around him. He was surprised and his body rigid, but a second later he embraced her, welcoming her, pulling her closer. He wondered if she could hear his pounding heart as well. He ran his hand through her hair, tender but uncertain. It was different from anything he had experienced so far, and his confidence was shaky. He was eager to explore and touch, but herestrained himself and settled on planting a soft kiss on her forehead. He pulled away slowly, reluctant to leave.

"Go to sleep Arien, tomorrow's going to be a long, exhausting day."

And with that vague warning he left her, mounting his horse and dashing to the castle, a sudden emptiness overtaking him.


	21. Chapter 21

**Sooner than I expected. It's getting Darker...**

He entered the dinning room even though he did not feel particularly hungry. Unfortunately, his body needed food, every once in a while. He smiled to the old woman, who served food, and she grinned back at him; she was fond of him for his manners, he always thanked her when she handed him the meal and cleaned up after himself when he finished eating. Occasionally, she would sit and chat with him when the hall was empty.

"How long have you been working here?" he inquired that evening, playing with the food on his plate, forcing himself to eat.

"Too long to remember." Her voice was bitter and the wrinkles in her face deepened. "I remember Iseldorf, Ganon's father, he was a good man."

"What happened to him?" Dark queried, putting his fork down as his ears pricked.

"He passed away thirty years ago. But I remember him as strong and healthy as an ox. His death reeked of treachery." Her tawny eyes flashed with anger, and he saw her fist clenching, "Ironically, his son was executed for treason."

Dark swallowed his piece of bread before opening his mouth to speak, but he did it so hastily that he almost choked. "His son? The master had a brother?"

"Of course, Gildorf. He was a fine young man, so different than the usual descendents of the Dorf dynasty. He admired art and poetry and found no interest in the business of war." She waved her hands, grinning widely as she described him, "This is why I never bought the story about him betraying the kingdom." Dark cocked his eyes, waiting for her to go on with her story, "It was after Iseldorf's death, during the war, Ganon himself executed his brother, accusing him of treason. What nonsense."

"Why would you say so?" he cocked an eyebrow, interested in the gossip.

"I knew him; he had a gentle soul and was determined not to get involved in the war against the Hylian," she explained, picking at her yellow nails. "Rumor says he fell in love with a Hylian royalty, and Ganon did not approve."

Dark immediately tensed; it was as if someone turned on a light in the darkness, illuminating his ignorance. Pieces of the puzzle started to form a clearer picture and his eyes lit up in excitement. He abruptly stood up, thanked the old lady, and went to stroll across the castle grounds, to shake off his restlessness. Before he could get to his room to mull over the new information, a Dinolfos called at him and he waited impatiently for him to deliver him the message: the master wished to see him.

Reluctant and ill-tempered he followed the order, heading towards the main hall to face his master. Another man awaited in the room: a raven haired human with a hooked nose, dressed as a warrior, and a smug expression of self-satisfaction plastered on his face. He disliked him from the very first minute.

"Dark, meet Achill, a famous warrior from beyond the sea, who recently joined our forces." The master presented the man, and Dark nodded with cold formality.

"Xino has become obsolete over the years, his tactics and methods aren't relevant anymore. And now that we have Achill, he is no longer useful." The dark lord said casually,and Dark swallowed hard. "Get rid of him."

Wrath built up inside him, and any sense of morality that was left in his stony heart revolted against that despicable order. Xino was one of the most loyal veteran soldiers in the kingdom, and he after that long devoted service he was to be thrown to the dogs. Or worse, Dark's hands. He inhaled deeply, suppressing his anger and said quietly, "Yes, my lord," hoping to be dismissed soon before he could no longer control himself.

"You serve me well Dark," his master complimented him, "Your moment of truth is soon to come."

"Thank you, master." He replied submissively, standing in frozen attention, before bowing respectfully and leaving the room, punching the first wall he came upon after exiting the hall. He knew damn well it would be harder the longer he waited before executing the order. He glanced outside estimating the time: any minute now Xino would leave his office for dinner. He ran silently to the east tower where Xino's room was located and waited in a shadowy spot just behind the corner. He slowed his breathing, merging with the dark wall, and waited for the Dinolfos.

He knew it was Xino by the rhythm of the steps. He used to hum a certain melody and walk to the beat around the castle. He looked at the ground, the Dinolfos shadow was approaching, growing, and Dark tightened his grip on his dagger, waiting for the perfect moment. He lashed out of the shadows just as the lizard took the turn with a quick, deadly stab of his dagger in the creature's neck; the only soft spot he had. Blood spilled out like a fountain as the carotid arteries was cut; the Dinolfos collapsed to his knees, eyes shut.

"It's an honor to die by your hands." Xino gasped before he fell lifeless, wallowing in his blood.

Dark felt nauseous, and hurried leave the crime scene, making his way to his room at great speed. He opened the door with a kick and locked it behind him, sprinting to the bathroom basin and vomiting his lunch, wishing he could vomit the guilt as well. His face was shiny, and not only because of his sweat. He raised his eyes to the mirror to see the tears pooling and sliding down, making his crimson eyes glitter sadly. He knees surrendered to the emotional distress, and he fell to the floor, crying like a lost child, sobbing sorrowfully at what he became.

And then he realized that he could be the next victim of his master's wickedness: a man that killed his own brother, a man that ordered his servant to kill his closest friend who was a loyal soldier as well, would certainly not blink at the thought of eliminating Dark. The master could not be trusted and all his promises were to be taken with a grain of salt. He couldn't deny that suspicion anymore, the feeling in his gut that told him the master had lied to him all along. He must break free and find the truth. But these thoughts were too radical, too dangerous and the pain was soon to come, a reminder of his status as a slave. He vomited again, dirtying his clothes. He couldn't find his breath and the agonizing pain wouldn't stop or subside, it was moments later that a blessed blackout saved him from his misery.


	22. Chapter 22

**After along pause, Dark is back!**

**I really**** hope to publish a chapter every week, but it's a busy period for my editor and for me as well. **

**Be patient and comment :)**

It took Dark a few days to recover from the crisis, but his master failed to notice that something was different about him, as he sent Dark on missions and errands. Dark was grateful for the occupation; the activity helped him forget what he had done, easing his conscience. He was assigned to assist Achill, introducing him to the other officers, showing him around and briefing him on the field conditions and order of battle. Achill indeed was a professional, but Dark could not be friendly towards him, feeling Achill was responsible for Xino's death.

On his first day off, Dark rode to Kokiri village to visit Arien but found her house empty. He took off the long ribbon that held his hair and tore it into smaller pieces, tying the first one on her door knob, the second on the tree near her house, eventually creating a trail leading to a certain point at the lake. He took off his clothes, folding them neatly on the ground near the edge of the lake, and jumped into the cool water, enjoying the refreshing feeling. He dove to the bottom, toying with the idea of not surfacing for air; being underwater was an escape for him, and the purifying liquid felt like it could wash away his sins.

He went up for air, inhaling deeply and moving the hair out of his face just as she came by, a small bag on her back, holding the ribbons in her hand. Before he could open his mouth she said, "Don't bother asking, I'm not joining you."

He grinned widely, watching her put her bag down and rummage through it. He walked out of the water as she pulled out an old blanket and spread it on the ground, sitting on it. Apparently it was not the only thing she was looking for, because she kept digging through the bag, eventually taking out two apples and throwing one to him. He was not especially hungry but appreciated the thought, taking a bite; it was surprisingly sweet and juicy. The warm wind dried his body, and he shifted his attention from the apple to her; she was staring bluntly at him. He was not wearing much, only a pair of boxers, and though he knew he was good looking her stare flattered him nonetheless.

"That was a nice surprise you prepared for us at Death Mountain," she groused, showing him the burns marks on her arms. It did make him feel a bit guilty.

"I'm only following orders," he replied lightly, and came to sit by her, before changing his position and lying down, using her bag as a pillow.

"When will you grow a spine?" she rebuked him, crossing her arms over her chest, "You know he's using you just like he wanted to use me." She stated coldly, hitting it spot on. He couldn't avoid from shivering.

"Arien, it's not that simple," he said sadly, linking his fingers behind his head. "He makes me do despicable things. Things I regret and ashamed of, haunting memories that torture me. But for the time being, there is nothing I can do." He spoke honestly with his voice soaked in agony, avoiding her curious eyes.

He felt a hand caressing his face, silky skin and gentle fingers stroking along his jaw line and his eyes closed as he surrendered to the intoxicating touch. "I guess the last thing you need right now is preaching," she said in a cynical voice, "But I don't see a servant when I look at you. Every time I see you I find it harder to believe that Ganon was skillful enough to come up with something so amazing." Myrtle green eyes looked at him firmly, her words were encouraging, "The attitude and the way you carry yourself, your politeness and manners, your skills and wit; you're a real man, and a better one than most of the people I know."

He smiled a genuine, wholehearted smile. He laced their fingers together, pulling her to lie beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Fortunately, you see my virtues first. If you only knew half of the things I've done, your opinion wouldn't be so strong." He pointed out sadly, sighing.

"I've done quite terrible things as well," she admitted, her voice significantly lower. "But there is always atonement."

"What have you done, if I may ask?" he inquired, his hands playing with the curls of her hair. He took inhaled deeply, taking in her scent: it was citrus that day.

"I crippled a student when I was only fifteen; in the rush of the fight I used a dark spell, I couldn't fully grasp its meaning yet. It damaged her brain severely; she hasn't spoken to this day." She confessed, her voice trembling, "I killed a wizard at my first year at the academy. There were other things as well; my hands are stained with blood."

Frankly, her confession surprised him, he was not aware of that dark side of her; it only made her more fascinating. "I murdered children, in cold blood. Raided villages and slaughtered them to the last one. I assassinated my closest friend. All in the name of loyalty and obedience." He counted, holding up a finger with each crime.

"What is loyalty?" she mused, mostly to herself, "Where is the line between devotion and blindness? Which of these things do you do out of faithfulness and which out of fear?" she drowned him in questions, the same questions he was battling every day. "But most importantly, what are your red lines in the sand?"

"I've been asking myself the same questions," he divulged, very aware of her hands stroking his chest, and occasionally straying across the lines of his sculptured abdomen. He watched the breeze fluttering her red curls; the shade was identical to his master's hair. If his assumptions were right, he should be loyal to her at least as much as he was loyal to his master.

"You're too handsome to serve Ganon," she pouted. He chuckled at her childishness, and switched their positions, hovering over her, resting on his elbows. He rubbed his nose against her jaw line and watched her face reddening, "Will you feel more comfortable with our meetings if I sided with Hyrule?" he teased.

"No," she replied quietly, sadly. "But at least I'll have a chance to protect you." She said softly, like she was praying. He couldn't help but laugh at her naïveté, rolling to lie on his back, holding his rib cage.

"Do you really think you can save me, Arien?" he asked her when he calmed down, turning his head to look at her. Her expression was calm, confident, almost arrogant.

"People who asked for my help, my advice, never regretted it." Her voice was tough, almost cold, and he immediately thought of Akin, "Don't underestimate me, if someone can save you from the claws of Ganon, it would be me." She stated, radiating strength, for a moment he could see the glorious sorcerer she was, the fierce woman behind sweet features. "You only need to make the decision that you want to be saved."

He recalled the letter Akin gave him, with instructions on how to break the bond and release him from his master's deadly grip. She was right; he should make up his mind and act, before it was too late for him. He looked at her, at her peculiar features, the frail body the lie so close to him, radiating heat; he felt the urge to undress her right there, right at that moment, and have his way with her. He suppressed that wild desire and settled for an innocent kiss on her cheek. When he looked to the other side of the lake he saw a blue eyed knight staring at them. He stared right back, and pulled her a little closer, feeling a tiny victory.


	23. Chapter 23

**The editting process is taking too long and I really wish to finish publishing the story.**

**So this chapter is unedited, as well as the following ones. But I'm going to publish one almost everyday.**

**Today I'm even going to publish two, because you've waited for so long!**

He wiped the sweat from his face, seeing Stone Towers from distance; he urged his horse for a final gallop before the much needed rest at Ikana canyon. Frankly, he loathed that place, it reeked of blood and death, and even the wind whispered sorrowful moans and the stones mourned. But he knew he would not make it to Clock Town before the gates are closed and his horse was on the verge of exhaustion. The journey from Hyrule to Termina was long and dangerous, and it was extremely challenging when he was given so little time.

He halted in a cool cavern, a spring gushing in its center; he freed his beast to slake its thirst and went to rest against one of the walls. He could sense the evil lurking in this place with every cell of his body, for some reason it had not shown its ugly face yet, but he did not dare to shut his eyes. Darkness covered the land, and he decided to wait for the first light to hit the road again, giving his horse enough time to recover. Ganon was planning his attack on the third temple, a new kind of devilry to gain more time before the main invasion. Since he was somewhat familiar with the Hylian army's abilities, he could state confidently that they would be bitterly defeated by Ganon's monstrous forces.

He mused over the balance of power, and then his thought wandered again to his vague past, and whatever he was pondering over he always strayed to thinking about Arien. He got to his feet when the first sunbeam shone, mounting his horse and riding to the Great Bay coast, passing Clock Town from the south. He passed through canyons, forests and fields, finally reaching the shore. He dismounted his horse and looked at the place he believed to be the Marine Research Lab; it seemed like the only way to get there was to swim in those murky water.

He sighed but entered the cold water anyway, swimming the relatively small distance and climbing up the ladder; he walked into a strange room with a huge aquarium and a few smaller ones, it smelled fishy and he grimaced his face.

"You must be the Dark Lord's emissary," an old, odd looking man addressed him, "Here's what he requested," he told him, handing him a glass bottle with a weird form of life he had never seen before inside it, "Keep it in the bottle and don't, by any circumstances, let it out near water." He warned him seriously and Dark nodded, wondering what could be so dangerous about that innocent amoeba.

Is that creature was the reason he had been riding for two days? There must be something more to it, his master was not foolish and he chose Dark's missions quite tastefully. He assumed there were things beyond his understanding, hid the bottle in his tunic and swam back to the shore, climbing on his horse. He spent the night in Clock Town, it was actually a nice place and he was familiar with most of it from his previous travel; he rented a room at the Stock Pot inn and paid a visit to the local bar. He had a strong feeling he should enjoy these days as much as he could, when the master orders the main attack force to invade Hyrule he would be fully occupied with fighting.

In his return, the master was very pleased with the creature he had brought from the research lab, and immediately went down to the laboratory. Dark was already on his way to search for Xino, when he remembered; how could it be so easy to forget that he had killed his own fellow?

Using the opportunity when the master was occupied with animal experimenting, he decided to take a walk in the castle, heading towards the master's wing. He was never forbidden from wandering there, so he paced around the fancy residence light heartedly. He was not sure what exactly he was looking for, but he knew he might find something of a value among his master's belonging; the Dark Lord had a sentimental tendency to keep useless objects, ironically enough he treated his men quite the opposite way.

Most of the doors were looked, but a closed door was not really an obstacle for a curios Dark, and he spent the day roaming around ancient articles; closets, mirrors, clothes, books, swords and many other kinds of weapons, he did not come across anything interesting. He was starting to lose his patience when he bumped into a small, dusty chest; he opened it carefully, avoiding the squeaking noise. And there it was an old, faded picture of a young man who resembled the master in a way, but differed for him greatly all together. Dark made the immediate conclusion, that was Gildorf, and he was eager to find out if what the old lady had told him was right.

He suppressed the need to rummage through all of the pictures and letters in the chest, an ominous feeling in his gut advised him to leave the room as soon as possible; he slowly closed the cover and walked to the window, assuming it would be the safest way out of there. Just as he exited through the window, pressing himself to the thin step on the outside wall the door was opened and he heard heavy footsteps that could belong only to one. He thanked the goddesses for warning him and carefully advanced across the wall, knowing he must go back to that room.


	24. Chapter 24

**Here's another one for you. Enjoy!**

He went to that room again, a few days after he found it, tickling excitement rising in his stomach as he sneaked in, looking for that particular chest. He found it easily, and opened it with coveting hands, his eyes almost popping out as they tried to see clearly in the dim lighting of the room. A few pictures of the younger master and his brother lay there neglected; it's been years since the last time someone looked at them, and Dark browsed eagerly through the documents. On the bottom of the books was a package of letters tied in a red ribbon; he opened the knot carefully with shaky fingers and began to read.

He could not help but smile at the sugary correspondence, portraying the relationship of two lovers; Gildorf, the Garudo prince, and a mysterious lady, Chiara Manon. Her name rang strangely familiar, and he made a note to search for it later, apparently the old lady was right. Among the letters he found a faded photograph showing an impressive young woman with Elven features, but something about her radiated majesty, those defiant eyes were exactly the same as…

He sighed deeply; if his assumption was correct he must let her know. He roamed in the chest once more, finding a crafted golden ring, fit for a woman's slender finger, he took it and the picture, hiding it in his tunic and left the room as silent as a ghost. He wished to tell her what he had discovered, but he knew he must not; she would search for the answers when she is ready. Even though he could not share that information he felt an urge to see her, and since he had no obligations at the castle that night, he took his horse, galloping to the Kokiri village.

An ominous feeling crawled to his chest, nestling like a sneak under a cool stone, making him restless and anxious, urging his horse to go faster. She was not outside and he could see the trails of pinkish smoke coming out of her porch, but when he threw pebbles at her window she did not come out. He climbed the ladder with narrowed eyes, wandering what had happened, her horse was resting at the stable and it seemed like she was inside. No one answered as he knocked on the door, in any other circumstances he would walk away, assuming she was not at home after all, but with that menacing feeling he just could not leave. He opened the door, walking in like a thief, his footsteps inaudible and his gait so light he barely touched the ground, but all this cautious was unnecessary.

She was lying on the floor, between her kitchen and her lab, motionless, unconscious. His first reaction was to walk to her, in order to do whatever needed to save her, but he forgot one thing. Before he even realized he was falling, he was already twisting on the ground, as a wave of pain pierced his head and spread through his chest, stomach, limbs. If he tried to help her it would result in his death; he was sure of that. His mind was working in overdrive, thoughts racing, ideas clashing; the hardest part of hiding it from himself, deceiving himself so the pain would not strike again.

He looked at the shreds of broken glass on the floor, probably a broken tube; what had she done to herself? He hissed in frustration and ran out of the house, finding a solution; he stopped outside the blue eyed soldier's window, aiming his weapon. A Shuriken flew, as fast as lightening, accurately towards the man shoulder; but he justified his reputation, ducking it right in time. He turned around with a raging face, searching for his assaulter, Dark allowing him to take a glimpse of him.

The hero chased him up to Arien's house, where Dark disappeared into the shadows, no chance to find him.

"What is the meaning of this?" the warrior ranted angrily, looking around to recognize his partner house, his icy eyes narrowed. He seemed thoughtful for a moment and then climbed the ladder, apparently he was not so slow, Dark remarked to himself. He followed him into the house, placing himself in a dark corner and watched as the blond lad checked her vital signs. They were quite normal, but she was feverish and he lifted her easily placing her in the bed.

His fists clenched when he watched him taking her clothes off to her underwear, he hated the fact the she was so exposed, but he knew it was a must in order to lower her temperature. When the warrior had finished treating her, she was covered with wet towels; the royal horn was heard, calling all the soldiers to gather at the castle. The man sighed heavily, torn between loyalties. "Go, I'll watch her," Dark said, stepping out of the shadows.

"This will grant you no mercy when we meet in battle field," steel eyes flashed, emphasizing the firm voice.

"When we meet in battle, I urge you to do your best," Dark replied smoothly, his crimson orbs shining in excitement. The soldier seemed to ponder for a moment and then parted from his with a stiff salute, leaving the house and heading for the Hyrule castle. He stayed beside her the entire night, replacing the towels with fresh ones, wiping the sweat from her flushed face, and strolling in her house. He found some notes on the table, and took it, sitting on the side of her bed to read it.

He knew a few things about magic from what he had learned in the library, enough to understand the main ideas of her thesis; she challenged death, sought for immortality. Apparently that what she was talking about when he interrupted her presentation, back at the academy. He read it over and over again, trying to understand as much of it as he could, and a few details became clearer and his eyes widened in shock; she bounded their life courses. Simply put, he could not be killed as long as she was alive and vice verse. She really did mean it when she said she could save him.

He watched her limp body lying in bed, so innocent and fragile; could this girl be such a mighty sorcerer? Before he could answer his own question, the green hooded lad returned, with the first beams of sunrise.

"What in the name of the goddesses she had done to herself?" pair of icy eyes glared at Dark, demanding to know, and every bit of his appearance screamed he was nerve wrecked and anxious. He seemed to fancy his partner.

"She battled death, trying to gain immortality," Dark answered quietly, caressing the crispy, stained notes in his hands, "Many tried it before and failed miserably, but her attempt is the most elegant and creative I have ever seen. She might even succeed." He ended his reply in a forced smile. that did not come out very well, more of a grimace than anything else.

"You think highly of her," the hero stepped forward, examining him with a cold stare, "Maybe overly so, considering you serve her enemy." His tone was sarcastic, stinging.

"Perhaps you're right," Dark admitted, and his voice sounded almost pleasant, "I shall return to my duties as the exuberant servant of evil," he said wryly, getting up of the bed, placing the papers neatly on her table. He gave the soldier a sharp, dangerous look as he passed by him, and disappeared a second later, on his way back to the castle.


	25. Chapter 25

**This chapter is so sad. Please comment to make it feel better. **

His master watched him with an unreadable expression, rubbing his ginger beard, letting him quiver under that prying stare.

"The day has come, Dark…for you to gain your freedom." He master spoke slowly, in a moderated tone, slightly distant. "Wait for the Hero of Time in the Water Temple. Killing him will grant you freedom."

Dark narrowed his eyes, suspicious, yet he only asked casually, "And the girl?"

"You seem to fancy her," the Dark Lord said in a taunting voice, a horrid smile morphing on his lips, "I can spare her life if you wish to have her."

"She's a threat," Dark replied in a cold, measured tone, "I mustn't risk you, my lord. I'll kill the girl." He stated emotionlessly, his expression blank.

The master grinned with satisfactory, "Your loyalty will be rewarded, Dark." He promised, and Dark nodded stiffly and left the room, to make preparations for the leave. Dark knew that the master was not going to spare Arien anyway, and not only would he kill her, he would surely kill Dark after he gets rid of the hero. If he defeats the hero, Dark will become the barrier of the triforce of courage, something that the master will never allow. Dark was already too dangerous even without it. It was time to make the move, the chance that he had been waiting for. Things had to be thought through and planned wisely, because the smallest mistake would cost him his life, and he began to cherish it lately.

He went to his room and packed a few things in a bag, mainly first aid equipment and healing potions and ointments, but he also took the picture and the ring he had found in the chest. He scanned the room with his eyes; food was not a necessity for him, but he took another set of clothes. He had one stop before heading towards Water Temple, one person he wished to see before he was betting on his life, and the odds were against him. He felt the pain grew stronger in his chest as he advanced towards the forest, this time he was strictly not allowed to meet her, but his will was greater than the master's control.

She finished smoking her cigarette, and tossed it into a can, while he placed himself slightly behind her, leaning backwards on the fence with his elbows. When she noticed him, he walked towards her, masking the pain and moving gracefully, but she seemed to see through his pretence this time. Her eyes lingered on him and a slight blush covered her cheeks, he wished to know what thought caused her to be flustered.

He placed his finger on her lips just when she intended to speak, motioning her to stay silent as she stared at him puzzled. The pain was blazing, threatening to tear him apart from the inside, but he forced himself to stand straight and ignore it, "In my wanders across the castle I happened to chance upon this," he voice trembled a little, but he struggled to maintain his charm, never revealing his weakness. He took out the ring out of his pocket he gently slid it on her ring finger, looking at her with a soft gaze, not letting go of her hand. "It was your mother's," he explained in a mere whisper, and watched her face as it gave out her overwhelming feelings.

He smiled at her timidly, as she laced their fingers, licking her lips unconsciously, he had so many things to say but certain insecurity, feeling of vulnerability took over him and he lost his voice for a moment.

"This will be the last time we will see each other, Arien," he told her, his voice soaked with sadness, and his hand moved to caress her cheek, removing the finger from her lips only to press a soft kiss on them. She kissed back shyly; he was relieved at her welcoming gesture, her hands wrapped around his neck and he pulled her closer holding her waist.

This moment was so intense, joyful and at the time agonizing and sorrowful, and he was afraid his knees would give in. He put every bit of passion he had into this kiss, coaxing her lips to part and sliding his tongue in to wander in her mouth. He pushed himself against her, his grip on her tightening, and inhaled her scent, fruity as always. He prayed for this moment to last. He did not mind the pain, he suppressed the weakness that attacked him, all that matter was this lustful lock, the longing touch, the warmth of her body.

He tore himself from her when he could not resist the pressure, the aching any longer; he stumbled backwards on shaky legs. He took one last glimpse of her heartbroken face, the sadness that pooled in her eyes, the way her body tilted towards him yearning for his touch. He returned a gloomy, grieving gaze and turned around, climbing on his horse and galloping away. A poignant sting made his heart flinch, he tried to order his breathing and organize his thoughts. A part of him was left in the Kokiri forest.


	26. Chapter 26

**Another chapter for you guys, now show me you love me :)**

**Thank you Samswimmer, Rider of the Whales and the rest of you who comment!**

Dark stood before that door, once he crosses that threshold his life would changed forever. Something bothered him, a disturbing itch like he had forgotten something; he turned back, looking at the light blue walls of the current room. He walked to one of them, and used a simple magic, writing down all his thoughts, all the things he did not have time to tell Arien. He left her mother's picture at one of the corners, and walked past that door, peaceful. He waited.

He waited in the spacious room, a purely white plain that seems to stretch to infinity but it was only an illusion. In the middle there was a tree, he leaned against it, patient. The door has finally opened; his sharp eyes could see despite the misty haze, a sigh of relief escaped his mouth as he saw the warrior was alone. At least he could delay her outside for a short while, occupied with his writings, he knew she could not resist her curios nature. The hero advanced gingerly, and he disconnected himself from the tree's shadow showing himself.

"You," the blue eyed soldier spat venomously.

"I could tell you're not really surprised to see me," he replied with a restrained smirk, crossing his hands over his chest calmly.

"Unlike Arien, I wasn't blinded by your charm," the warrior said coldly, holding onto his hilt, "I can see clearly your evil nature,"

A soft laughter filled the white desert, Dark was amused by the ignorance, "The only one that is blind is you my prejudiced hero. Arien actually succeeded in understanding my true nature," he voice was full of patient, like a teacher explaining to his young student.

"You serve Ganon," the soldier defended his opinion, sounding less confidant, and Dark knew he could raise doubts in him.

He circled him, pacing around nonchalantly, but maintaining a safe distance, "Everything's so simple when you're the hero," he sighed deeply, "You fight for justice and light, you earn respect and recognition, eternal glory, eventually…you will win the girl as well," he smiled sadly, motioning towards the door, where Arien was. "But most importantly, you do everything willingly."

The lad in front of him moved a blond bang from his eyes and blinked dumbly, trying to understand the argument, "Free will is why you defend the royal family, you can criticize them, even disobey." Dark kept walking around, his hands moving as he spoke, and the lad listened attentively, "On the other hand I'm bound to my master by a powerful spell, obliged to serve and forced to obey, the slightest resistance result in unbearable agony." He turned his head sharply to glares at the boy with his red orbs, letting him taste some of his pain.

"So now I must fight you, or die a torturing death." Dark summarized, it was probably the longest speech he gave in his life time, for all he could remember. He drew out his sword and warned, "Prepare yourself."

His opponent was immediately on guard, sword ready, eyes examining. The soldier attacked, and he blocked it easily, for some reason it was so predictable, he reacted with a powerful counterattack. He watched the warrior's face grimace as all his attacks failed to break through Dark's defense; he was an excellent swordsman but Dark was a real master of the craft. He moved nimbly, elegantly, letting his rival tire himself while he danced like a butterfly and stung like a bee, saving energy, toying with the hero. Dark appreciated the lad's fighting spirit; the boy managed to take his fighting skills a level higher, now actually challenging Dark, but he had no chance when Dark's inner demon awakened.

Dark twisted his face in a horrid expression, a predator's smirk, white fangs shining brightly, as he felt himself changing. Raw power, unbelievable speed, inhuman accuracy, Dark was undefeatable. A few blows later Dark's blade cut through his rival's tunic, into the flesh of his waist, causing him to scream agonizing, but he could hear another scream. Arien.

Knowing he had little time before she breaks through the door, he attacked brutally, putting his weight and power to each blow, subduing his enemy and sending him to crash on the floor. He swung his sword for the final blow, expecting to cut through soft flesh, but instead he encountered a steal hard resistance. Arien's sword blocked his way. "Don't," her voice was so cold it made his lungs freeze, he backed away.

"Arien," he said almost pleadingly, "Do not intervene."

She raised her sword, standing before the injured soldier and declared, "I will not let you do it," she radiated such strength, glowing in her full glory, the odd features of her face so firm and determent. "You will have to fight me," she said quietly, calmly, looking at him with her fearless eyes, he admired her.

He lowered his sword, and waves of pain flushed him, knowing that no matter how painful the punishment is, he could not fight her. He did not want to, he never planned to, and this was his perfect opportunity, "Then there is only one way for me," his voice was shaky, but his hands were steady when he flipped the sword in an agile movement and imbed it in his stomach, up to the hilt. The stab was accurate, and well planned, only a master like he was could pull that stunt off. He made no sound as the blade pierced him, but his legs gave in and he collapsed to his knees, still holding onto the hilt.

He saw her lashing forward, with the most heartbreaking cry he had ever heard, kneeling before him with wide, torn eyes. He raised a bloody hand to touch her face, and whispered almost inaudibly three words he had never said before. He let his hand fall down, lifelessly, as Arien sobs filled the room, her shoulders trembling, palms covering her face. He closed his eyes, his heart beats slowing down, his breathing becoming shallow; he could hear the hero dragging her away from the sight of his wounded body. His blood wetted his tunic, his hands, staining the ground, pouring like water from a fountain, and the pain was fading, duller, he was used to it. He let his body rest, his minding sliding into the dark realm of unconsciousness. Soon all of it would end.


	27. Chapter 27

**Dark's past starts to unravel. **

Swarthy hair clanged to sweaty forehead, his heart beats weak and slow, like a bear in its winter sleep, and the wasteland around him was deathly silent. The blinding white plain only increased his dizziness, and the only thing that stained the pure alabaster was the red dark drops of blood, which pooled beneath him on the ground, the slow trickle echoing. His hands held the hilt of his sword, the same one that penetrated his body so the blade came out of his back, and his breathing was shallow and husky, but a smile adorned his face.

Dark looked around one last time; no one was there, and yanked the blade out of his body with an agonized growl. The blood stream increased, and he felt himself weakening, but he was not the one to surround to pain. He stumbled to the lonely tree, where he hid a bag, with bondages and medicines for a wound of that sort. Skillfully he slowed the bleeding, until it nearly ceased. He lay back on the tree trunk, the pain was eroding, but the damage was minor, expect from the massive blood lost, none of his organs were hurt. A master of the sword, like he was, could aim his blade through his body and cut nothing but some skin and muscle, a master of pretence, like he was, could very well fake a suicide.

He knew the wound would heal, he was coated with protective spells and filled with healing potion, but beyond all he believed Arien's bonding would save him; she did knotted their lives together, and he trusted she had succeeded in her experiment. Lost in his pain, he forgot a very important detail that slowly pervaded into his mind; if everything went well, he should be free now, free of Gannon. The only thing that could break the chains he was bounded was death, and for everyone who knew him, he was considered dead. He decided to test this wild assumption.

"Gannon's breath stinks like a latrine." He spat, blood staining his lips, mixing with sweat. Except from the monotonic pain in his torso, nothing happened. He smiled, was it working?

Suddenly a mind blowing pain struck his head, it was so powerful it blinded him, deafened him, causing him to lose sense of any part of his body but his throbbing head. It felt like the universe was shoved brutally to his head, extending his skull beyond its natural size, stretching the capacity of his brain until he thought his mind would explode. Years and years of images, sounds, scents, pains and pleasure attacked his memory, it was too much to process, and he fell into darkness.

He woke up in the same place where he lost his consciousness. He wore the same dirty, blood stained clothes, and held the same sword. But he was a different man. For once, he had a name, a name that was given to him at birth. He ditched that name long ago, since it did not represent who he was anymore, and adopted a nick. But he had a name. He had an origin and a family, who died long ago and he differed greatly from the race he was once associated with, but at least he was not a perverted creation of a twisted mind. He was a man, not a mere shadow. Never again a shadow, a replica, a mimicking of life, never again, he vowed.

His body still ached, but he was fueled with new powers now, motivated by stronger causes, and he forced himself to stand. He needed time to heal, time to discover himself, time to rise as the dreadful demon he used to be. He needed to hide as well. He took a step forward, shuddered but steadied himself, looking forward at the northern door, locked on his target. Once he started to walk, it was easier, he carried himself not as gracefully as ever, but he could progress in a satisfying pace. It was not long before he left the Water Temple, he knew soon enough the Zora will come to retrieve their holy place, to rebuilt the ancient altars, and he had no intention to be seen.

A horse was waiting for him near the entrance, he planned it well, thought it through, even without his memory he was razor sharp; he knew that once he was considered dead, his ghost horse, Gannon's gift, would fade away and leave him immobile. He mounted the horse, it felt strange, the hair under his fingers, the warm breathing, the restless moves, he has not ridden a real horse in years. He tacked his ankles in the animal's ribs, gently, just enough to catch its attention and urge it to run, and they both sped off through Hyrule Fields, just as night embraced the land.

He was headed to the one place he knew he'd be welcomed, a place where no one is there to report his presence, and a place that reminded him of forgotten past. Their dash stopped at the graveyard of Kakariko, quietly sneaking unnoticed, heading to the far east side of it, and a sudden nostalgia snack into his heart. He pulled out his Ocarina, another hobby of his he abandoned while serving Gannon, and played a certain Nocturne who teleported him straight to the entrance of the Shadow Temple.

An intake of the sickly sweet, musty scent and the thick, dense air made him feel like home, and the enchanting melody brought a smile to his face. He knew the mysteries of the temple, he saw through its illusion, easily spotted the fake from the real, and the creatures of the underworld admired him. After all, he was the Shadow Master.


	28. Chapter 28

**This chapter continues to deal with Dark's past. **

**Starting from the next chapter the action begins again. **

**Thank you all for the comments, it's really encouraging. **

It was once a sacred place, in the times were Elves lived for many hundreds of years and Sheikah was a word that was whispered with awe; they were feared of and admired, threatening and alluring, folks of the shadows. He snorted at the people that referred to themselves as Sheikah nowadays, most of them were unqualified to be called Elves, not to mention master the ancient arts of the darkness. He was raised as a true Sheikah, a soulful warrior, a capable sorcerer and a master of illusions.

He walked through the dim corridors, listening to the water dripping on the wall, glancing at pictures and welcoming the creatures of the temple; Sheikah stood for secret, mysterious culture, today it was nothing more than the royal watch dogs. He walked by the guillotines, the gallows and the whipping post, torture was another art this tribe mastered, maybe even perfected, he remembered the poor souls that were brought to these dungeons when he was young, they never left.

The temple wore different face wheatear you were a random peeping tom, or a familiar resident, so much was hidden from the eye and even with magical tools, some places were closed to the outsiders. He found himself wandering down into a lower floor, deeper into the ground, and halted before a wall, grayish brown stone covered with mustiness. He raised his hand slowly, almost caringly and caressed a certain spot, only a touch of a genuine Sheikah could open that secret pass. The wall dissolved into thick haze in front of him and he walked through a corridor, to a spacious room, the library.

Rows and rows of bookcases, the legendary knowledge of a mysterious tribe, secrets hidden from the outside world zealously, he smiled lightly. He walked to the eastern wall; it was clear of any furniture and covered by leather rugs portraying the bloodlines of all the Sheikah families. He scanned the documentation, it was last updated a few generations ago, the place must have been deserted for a hundred years now. A small laughter escaped his lips as he spotted his name at the top, beside his younger brother, who as far as he could tell was the hero's ancestor. A sudden pain made him clench his stomach forcefully, a sharp reminder of his injury, he left the family tree to search for his room.

He remembered the path; it was minutes before he opened the door to a small chamber, with minimalistic furniture; a desk, a chair, small closet and a bed. The bed was neatly made and he lay down with a heavy sign, knowing this wound would require a few days of healing. In this very room he stayed during his training as an assassin, just about a thousand years ago. Time seemed to go by so quickly.

he moved restless in the bed, the throbbing in his stomach, the congealed blood all over his body, the soaked bondages, it all bothered him and he knew he should get up and clean himself, and treat his wound. Flashback to the chamber of pain, where Gannon imprisoned him until he agreed to become enslaved to the evil lord, almost made him loss his balance. He remembered the cold floor, lying naked against the hard tiles, wallowing in his own puke and feces for days. It was Gannon's favorite creation, an enchanted room of torture, cursed stones and dark spells that tormented whoever entered it; pain beyond pain, directly to the nerve system, no physical damaged involved. He lasted there a week before he surrendered to Gannon's terms; he must was holding the record time of endurance in that chamber, a dubious honor.

He made his way to the tap and let the water run, taking off his clothes, fighting to remove the fabric where it clang to the wounded skin, and undid his bandages, letting the cool water ease his pain. He loosened the ribbon that tied his long braid and washed his filthy hair, cleansing his face from the blood, sweat and dirt. He closed the tap and turned to disinfect his wound before bandaging it carefully, the cut was clean and symmetric and he assumed it would heal nicely without needing to sue it. Walking to the mirror, he started to comb his braid, examining the reflection in the mirror. He seemed to loss muscle tissue lately, and as a whole was too thin for his liking, it made him look like a boy rather than a man.

He returned to his bed naked, leaving his washed, wet clothes to dry and slid under the covers with a deep sign. He tried to ignore it, to push this thought aside, but there was nothing he wanted more than to have Arien by his side now, right there in bed with him, caressing his wounded body with her gentle touch and watching him with a naughty smile. He longed for the fruity scent of her hair, and its soft texture, her mesmerizing eyes and the smoothness of her skin; he wanted her, all of her, to be his own. He chuckled to himself softly, when did he become so emotional?

He felt a strange sting in his stomach that has nothing to do with his wounds; he had not eaten in days, and though he needed very little food to exist, he had to feast from time to time. He furrowed his eyebrows as he thought; they were many Cuccos running freely in the village and he doubted someone would notice a missing chicken, he just had to rest a little and go hunt his dinner. He had not slept for days, yet he was not tired at all; on the contrary, he was restless, almost frantic. He knew that in a day or two he must start moving again, and this time out of Hyrule, until the right time would come.

It was precisely thirty sixty hours after he got to the temple, when he mounted his horse and dashed out of the graveyard, a storm of blackness. He was heading for Termina, far enough to be anonymous, and also a place where he could properly equip himself for his revenge. He was not raging at the humiliation of being a slave, of serving another and being controlled, maneuvered like a marionette. He never complained about the pain, and the torture, the cruel treatment and the lack of gratitude. For him, it was part of his job.

He was furious at the distrust, the silent accusation, yet blunt and crystal clear; Gannon forced him, bounded him with a spell to serve him because he feared of betrayal. He blamed him, who loyally served the Dorf dynasty for thousand years, for not being trustworthy. That was unforgivable. A cruel smirk twisted his face, his expression like the one on a wolf's face when he sees a lonely sheep, wandering carelessly. It was time to regain his former power, to restore his old abilities, the ones Gannon had made him forget. It was time for the Shadow Master to return.

The forest was seen not so far away, and he sighed deeply, lowering his body unto the horse's back, so it seemed like the beast had no dragoon. He knew it was a faulty move, he knew it was dangerous and risky; it was nothing like him, but he could not avoid it, he was speeding to Arien's house. He wished to see her one last time before he leaves; he noticed he was slightly trembling as he silently mounted off his horse, walking in the shadows to a point where he could spy on her. He made sure not the get too close, he would not want her to feel his presence again and doubt his death, it might ruin his future plans.

He peaked through her window, completely invisible as the darkness of the night embraced him, and his heart raced, so loudly he was afraid she could hear. She kneeled down in front of a small desk, where a black memorial candle was burning gently and melting slowly, drowned in a quiet pray. He could see her profile, the sharp lines of her jaw, the mongrel features, the tear marks down her cheeks. Her soft curls shuddered as the wind blew and her scent was carried away, hitting his nostrils; he battled the urge to walk to her, caress her, embrace her, feel her. An unpleasant coldness spread in his chest, she was mourning him, she was troubled and grieving over his death, he was the cause to her sadness.

It was enough. He carefully, soundlessly returned to his horse, climbing on his back with cautious as his wound was not completely healed, and sped off, heading out of the country.


	29. Chapter 29

**The end is near. Prepare yourself for the final Battle.**

With the first sign of dawn he reached Termina, his master had very little influence in that land, and he thought it would be wise to stay there, maintaining a low profile until the final battle. He rebuked himself in his head, for still addressing Ganon as his master, getting used to freedom was harder than he had thought. He spent his first night in Clock Town, his wound finally recovering, which allowed him to climb all the way to Snowhead the following day.

He headed north but the road up was blocked by an iceberg, it could have discourage someone else, by he was not the one to let this tiny obstacle stop him; a giant stalactite was hanging above the iceberg, he shot it with his bow and causing it to fall down and break the iceberg. He kept advancing, walking through the knee high snow, and fighting the freezing wind; all of that did not seem to tire him or disturb him the slightest bit. On the contrary, he was rejoiced, it has been a long while since the last time he shaped soft snow into ball and threw it on an occasional Tektite. He inhaled the cold air, feeling his lungs freeze, and a genuine smile lightened his face, he felt alive.

He entered the Mountain Smithy, to see a short, thin Terminan and a gigantic hulking creature forging metal into deadly weapons; the heat inside was almost unbearable due to the furnace, but he preferred it over the bone freezing weather outside. They noticed his presence immediately, stopping their work and turning their eyes to examine him; he was wet and dirty, his hair clang to his face and his boots covered with mud yet he still managed to look impressive.

"I'm Zubora," the smaller man said, "and this is Gabora," he pointed at the giant, "How can we help you?"

Dark scanned him with narrowed eyes; hundred years ago he bought a sword here, that little man had not changed a bit since then. It was suspicious but he could not allow himself to be too picky since he got rid of the sword Ganon gave him, feeling it symbolized his enslavement. He took out of his pocket a small bag with gold; Ganon was a cruel master but he surely paid his soldiers generously, at that time he had more money than he could spend.

"I need a sword that can defeat evil." Dark stated.

There was a silence, and both men stared at him so bluntly it was disturbing. "I remember you," Zubora said finally, rubbing his chin. He looked inside the bag, estimating the amount of gold and his eyes flickered greedily. "Come back in three days. You won't be disappointed."

Dark nodded and left the smithy, the wind stinging his skin as he exited the hut, and made his way back to Termina fields, where his horse loyally waited for him. It was time to pay a visit to the Stone Tower Temple, as far as he recalled there was something there that could prove himself to be very useful. At sunset he arrived at the temple, the ancient stone was colored in shades of red, massive walls and sand eroded pathways; this place was hostile and he disliked that thought of entering it at nightfall. Despite the risk, or even because of it, he decided to go inside, advancing carefully, moving under the cover of the shadows, as he was only armed with his dagger and Shurikens.

Slowly he made his way through the temple, looking for a particular someone; a former general and a deadly assassin who held a weapon that can banish darkness and defeat evil. He passed over water and walked through fire, visiting many rooms and defeating rivals that guarded the temple from unwanted foreigners. Eventually he arrived at a circular arena, and the door behind him was closed by bars, he smiled with satisfactory, finally reaching his destination. A man wearing a purple cloak dropped from the ceiling, swinging two Sabers skillfully, and going for the attack.

Dark, poorly armed and relatively harmless, mainly dodged the attacks in inhuman speed and agility, using his talent of disappearing among shadows to confuse his rival, and waiting for him to lower his guard. In the first opportunity he has, he threw one of his Shurikens, which imbed in the enemy's shoulder, causing him to cry out in agony. However, it did not slow his attacks one bit, and Dark has to be completely concentrated to avoid injuries. In one swift, faster than light movement Dark dodged a deadly slash, rolling behind the man and raising to prong his dagger at his rival's neck.

"This could not be… Garo Master is defeated." The man mumbled shakily, lowering his Sabers and dropping it to the floor, "This could only mean one thing." He said quietly as Dark released him from his deadly grip. "So you've returned Shadow Master…Rumors say that…"

Dark cut in sharply, "Rumors are a poor source of intelligence," his standing was upright and proud, his strength radiating from him like star light.

"Indeed." the defeated man agreed, nodding his head, "I know what you came for." He said reluctantly, and a golden glow filled the center of the room as a chest appeared. Dark smiled as he opened the chest, pulling out the light arrows; that should be enough to beat the red headed devil.

He took it, putting it in his quiver and exited the temple, riding back to Clock Town; now all he had to do is wait for the final attack.


	30. Chapter 30

Regaining his former identity, he seemed to have many more alleys than in the past; creatures of the darkness worshiped him, seeing him as their master and making every effort to please him. And the news had finally came, the exact date of Ganon's attack. He was fully equipped with the best weapons, his new gilded sword, improved dagger and Shurikens and the magical light arrows. It was time for homecoming.

As if to match the morbid atmosphere, heavy rain was pouring over Hyrule and strong winds carried the tidings of war; he felt his horse slowing down as it battled the wind in order to move forward, it was on the verge of exhaustion. He estimated the horse could not make it to the town, and narrowed his sharp eyes in search for a place to stay; the crimson orbs locked on the circular wall of the Lon-Lon ranch. He urged his beast, gaining speed and in a mighty leap jumped over the high gates.

Ever so silently he walked the horse through the ranch, sneaking into one of the granaries; he let his horse feed upon the wheat and sat down on one of the boxes, peeling off the wet clothes from his body. He tensed when he heard footsteps from outside, and the door opened escorted by a flash of light, he immediately gripped his sword. He saw a mane of red hair, and his heart skipped in his chest, but a moment later he calmed down, slightly disappointed. He lowered his sword, seeing it was only a farm girl, and she was terrified. "I won't hurt you," he said calmingly, sitting cross legged on the box, shirtless. She was staring.

"I need to stay here for the night, I'll pay you." He added, searching for his wallet in the pile of clothes beside him.

"Wait," she said in a trembling voice, trying to muster her courage, "Are you a friend or a foe?"

"That depends." He said outsmarting, "A friend of who?" he flashed a toothy smile.

"Of Hyrule." She stated firmly, looking more courageous than before.

"I don't really care about Hyrule, I came to help … a friend of mine." He said hesitatingly, not surely how to describe his relationship with the red headed witch.

"Who would that be?" the girl asked eagerly, taking a step closer to him.

"Arien," he said in a soft voice, soaked with yearning, "You're probably familiar with the name."

"You're a friend of…her?" she stuttered, looking at him suspiciously. "Do you really know her? I mean, she's a messiah."

"You might say so," he replied sadly, looking outside of the window, "I know her pure heart, and the sharpness of her mind. I know how smooth is her skin, and how soft her lips are. And the way her hair always smells like fruits." He felt the emptiness in his chest with every word he pronounced, he missed that hot tempered witch.

"So you're her lover." The girl stated with a naughty smile, scanning him once again with prying eyes. His heart flinched as she voice out that definition, she was probably right. "Well, she has an excellent taste," the girl giggled, blushing slightly. He smiled timidly, and she seemed thoughtful for a moment, "I can't let the hero's lover sleep in the granary, follow me."

She showed him to a pleasant room, it had a homey feeling to it; from the colorful unmatched bed sheets to the family pictures on the wall. A hearth warmed the room, and casted a soft light, making him feel slightly drowsy, he thanked her and went to bed, hoping to get some sleep. Morning came earlier then he expected, his sleep was decent but those bloody Cuccos woke him up at Dawn. He dressed up and went down the stairs to the kitchen to see the girl making breakfast; he tried to imagine Arien involved in such activity and it made him chuckle.

"Good morning, mysterious stranger." The red headed girl said joyfully, placing the omelets on the plates and bringing them to the table.

"Good morning," he replied, the appetite-arousing smells hitting his nostrils. "What's your name? So I can thank you properly…"

She turned around to him and flashed him a sweet smile, "Malon."

"Well, thank you Malon for the hospitality." He said sincerely, he could not remember anyone as welcoming as she was. "Is there anything I could do to repay you?"

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, gazing at a random point in space, "Actually there is one thing…" she said mostly to herself, "First eat your breakfast then we'll talk about business."

It has been awhile since he enjoyed such a homey meal; eggs, cheeses, freshly baked bread and fruits, more than he could contain. He admitted to himself he must have been really hungry, wondering when the last time he ate was, he should take better care of himself. When they were done eating he followed Malon to the ranch spending the day in loading full bottles of milk and unloading empty ones, taking care of the horses and moving some heavy boxes around; he surprisingly enjoyed that change of scene.

He wiped his sweaty forehead, putting down the last box in its place and Malon yelled at him to come, he did so. "You're really diligent," she said appreciatively, "You know, Link shares a similar physique to yours, but he's such a lazy bum sometimes."

He smiled at her comment, walking beside her into the house, "You're familiar with him?"

"Sure," she answered with a wide grin, "I know him since he was a little boy. My father wanted him to marry me." She added with a somewhat embarrassed voice. He cocked his eyebrows at her questioningly, waiting for continuation. "Nahh…It would never work. Link needs his space, his adventures… locking him up in a ranch is a sin, like caging a lion."

He looked at her, she showed impressive maturity and understanding for her age, "Do you feel for him?"

"I was in love with him," she admitted, her ears turning pinkish, "But then I saw how he was treating other girls and I swore I wouldn't let him hurt me." Her expression was determined, almost defiant. "He treats Arien quite differently though." She added, musing.

"Should I feel intimidated?" he asked cockily, sending her a charming smile. After he is done with Ganondorf, he would deal with that, and there is no way the blue eyed soldier was going to win Arien as well.

"I don't think so," Malon answered, giving him an encouraging smile, "From what Link had told me, she has been mourning on her beloved friend…" she cut the sentence half way through, a flash of understanding lit in her eyes. "I guess that would be you."

"Clever girl," he complimented, "My return is a surprise, I'd appreciate if you keep it as our secret." He told her, his face pleasant and intimidating all at once.

"My lips are sealed," she replied with a wink, and he gave out a sigh of relief.

"I must get going now," he said almost sadly, he enjoyed his stay at the ranch. He excused her and went to up for a quick shower and a change of clothes, when he returned down he was dressed in his formal uniform, matching perfectly to his fit body. She looked at him with awe, wide eyed and gapping, and he said, "Tomorrow night evil will cover this land. Lock the gates and hide. Pray to your Goddesses." She nodded at his vague warning and he exited the building, to stables where his horse was; it was time to act.


	31. Chapter 31

**There are very few chapters left before the story ends. It's going to get really bloody in the next chapter, and then it will only get worse. **

**I'm really grateful for all the comments, you're amazing!**

He passed through the guards once again, cutting through the security as if scarecrows were watching the palace. He was amused, it was the first time he entered the palace without an intention to kill, he must be growing soft as the years pass. He attached himself to the cold stone, feeling the bumps and the niches, and climbing up two stories to reach a balcony. He pulled himself over the railing, silent and almost invisible. He walked to the door and picked into the room; it was still empty. He skillfully unlocked the door, chose a shadowed corner and walked towards it, waiting unnoticed for her to return.

Awhile later she entered the room, sighing deeply, tiredly; he could see that underneath all the titles she was still a young anxious woman, putting on a confident mask in order to give hope to her people. He appreciated that. Light brown waves of hair fell on her face when she took the crown off, putting it beside her bed, preparing for her sleep. He stepped out of the shadows and cleaned his throat, drawing her attention; she gasped as she saw the crimson eyes staring at her.

"Good evening, princess," he said in a warm voice, but his smile held much devilish characteristics.

"I had better ones," she replied bitterly, quickly pulling herself together.

"And you're going to have worse." He said ominously, an evil grin playing on his lips as he played with his dagger almost unconsciously.

"Usually people don't live to see another evening, after you pay them a visit," she hissed, he could see in her eyes she considered calling for the guards.

"I'm making an exception for you," he replied coldly. Her attitude was tiring, he did not come to wrangle.

"What is bringing you to my bedroom, Shadow Master?" she sat on her bed slightly more at ease, and pointed on a chair for him to sit, "You've came a long way, returning from the dead."

"Never went there in the first place," he said casually, adding a naughty smile, "I have information for you."

"I'm all ears," she stated with a curios smirk, resting her hands in her lap.

"Ganon will attack tomorrow at nightfall. He will conquer this land by the next dawn. Your army stands no chance." He informed her in an emotionless tone, and watched her face darkened, she seemed terrified.

"Why should I trust you?" she spat, eyes burning, challenging him.

"Because you'll be crashed if you don't." He remarked in a blank tone, not really trying to convince her, "I have my reasons to make sure Ganon is defeated. It's your call as a princess, make the decision."

"Speak." She said shortly, sharply, as she felt the slightest mockery in his words.

"Evacuate the people from this town; this is the main target of the attack." he advised her in a cool tone, his red eyes looking vague and distant, "As for you, take the council, the boy and the witch and hide in the temple of time. If you leave this town, it might be impossible to go back in through the mob of armed soldiers. " he explained, and she nodded like an eager student, "When I'll give you a sign, let them go fight Ganon. I will clear the way for them."

She hesitated, playing nervously with her fingers, "There's something I must know," she finally confessed, looking at him with a mix of curiosity and fear, "The story about the abandoned soldier…"

He smiled bitterly; she brought up thousand year old memories. "It's true." He replied shortly, knowing her curiosity would not be satisfied that easily. She watched him questioningly, waiting for him to continue, and he reluctantly did so. "During the first war I served as a spy; I pretended to be a deserter and joined the Humans. When the war ended no one claimed my return. The Hylian leaders believed I was corrupted after living among humans for so long, finding me unreliable." He told her, surprised by the neutral tone of his voice, as if he was talking about someone other than himself, "So I stayed with the people who appreciated my service."

"How did you last so long?" she whispered and two wide, gunmetal eyes locked on him like handcuffs. Her expression was beyond shock, and he felt somewhat uncomfortable under her prying stare.

"In that era Elves used to live longer than now; six hundred years old Elf was not a rare sight." He explained, changing his position in the chair, "To reward my loyal service the Dorf family had treated me kindly and generously; from the best equipment to the most advanced medical care. I was given every life extending treatment that existed, taking me one step closer to immortality, turning me into what I am today." Pride sneaked into his voice, and a grin appeared on his face, "I've served them faithfully for a thousand years."

She looked at him with torn eyes, confusion and wonder mixed with fear; she looked like a sacred child. "Then why are you doing it?" she wondered, her voice weak and shaky.

"I have my reasons." He said in a blank voice, reluctant to share.

"It's because of her, isn't it?" she asked in a warm voice, dropping all her royal etiquette, revealing a softer side of her. He remained silent, avoiding an answer when she declared confidently, "You love her."

His expression was blank, he did not comment about her statement , but stood up and walked towards the balcony. "I told you everything you should know, good luck tomorrow." He wished her, forcing a tight smile.

"My gratitude is beyond words," she said in a humble voice, slightly nodding her head.

"Arien mustn't know." He told her in a firm voice, glaring at her with warning eyes.

"I understand," she replied quietly and he knew his secret is safely kept.


	32. Chapter 32

**I really think I wrote Dark as the prefect man. I'm always falling for the mysterious/sophisticated type :)**

**Thanks again to my loyal readers for much appreciated reviews. **

The air reeked of death, as if carrying little drops of blood with every blow of the wind, and the sky was colored with the same crimson shade as the sun set upon a defeated nation. Dark stood in the shadows, looking at the improvised camp Ganon's army established in the center of Castle Town, desecrating it. Just like he predicted, the Hylian army was defeated within a few hours, and luckily the princess took his advice and evacuated the town's citizens, reducing the casualties. He carefully passed his finger on the sharp blade of his gilded sword, and watched the darkness cover the land, waiting for his time to act. The time to justify his title once again.

He knew his soldiers habits, and the one he despised the most was the way they used to party and drink excessively after they won a battle or successfully fulfilled a mission. This time he was glad for it. He stepped out of his hiding, smiling a dreadful smile, and walked towards the closest tent; a dozen Dinolfos were recumbent on the ground, unconscious and stanching from cheap beverage. He twisted his face in disgust. He kneeled by the first one he came across, and in perfectly timed movement gagged him and slit his throat with a short knife. Silent as a grave and deadly as arsenic, he moved to his next victim, performing the same ritual, until they were all dead. He wiped the blood from his hands on one of the soldiers' garments and proceeded to the following yurt, a sick expression of satisfactory plastered on his face.

"Hey, what's goin-" a sleepy Stalfos wondered when Dark threw his Shuriken and hit him right in the neck, sending him gurgling to the ground. Dark walked to him slowly, placing his booted foot on his face and pulled out the Shuriken, placing it back in his belt. This silent massacre was executed flawlessly, and by the dawn of the following day there was not a living soul in the Town's square, his long training as assassin definitely proved itself worthy.

He marched to the Temple of Time; this once splendid building was now dusted and crumbling, but still provided cover for a selected few. He pulled out his Ocarina, he did not play it in ages and the sound was a bit off key but the melody was easy to recognize. He played the last note of the royal lullaby, giving the princess the sign. A Golden sparkle from one of the windows informed him that the princess received his signal, and he quickly found cover in the shadows, in a safe distance. The first to come out was the blue eyed soldier; he was physically fit but Dark could sense his fear and weariness. Ganondorf's constant assaults were taking their toll, and the traces of fatigue marked the boy's face.

A moment later Arien stepped out glowing in all her glory. Her red hair was interwoven with golden strings, pulled up in a tight ponytail, emphasizing her sharp features. The wind blew, slightly lifting the white tunic she wore, showing off her slender legs. Dark suddenly remembered he had to breathe, and inhaled deeply, still awe struck. She was very different than the last time he saw her, she radiated confidence and cool wrath. The hero was examining her with a very blunt stare, causing Dark to shift angrily in the shadows.

"So this is why it took you so long. You look…pretty." The soldier admitted, scratching the back of his head.

"I rather die with style." She replied bitterly, fixing her sword in the sheath.

"I rather live." He said with an equal amount of bitterness, giving her a broken smile. "How are you feeling today?"

"Vindictive." She spat, fire burning in her eyes. "That man had taken the lives of too many of my beloved ones. My father, my mother, Akin." She counted, her fists clutched. Dark squinted his eyes when she mentioned Akin, his grip on his sword's hilt tightening. He was away for a long while, and Akin's death was unknown to him until that very moment.

"And Dark." She added in a mere whisper. Dark's heart skipped a beat when she pronounced his name, and a smile lighted his face when he realized she still cared for him. "Ganondorf shall meet his defeat today." She stated coldly.

The soldier grinned widely, and his weary aura seemed to fade when Arien was beside him. Dark could not help but envy him for all the time he spent with her, for all the adventures they had gone through and the memories they shared. His only hope was to live through this, to win that battle in order to create new memories with her, go on their own adventures and spend some time together.

"Then shall we head for the castle?" the boy suggested, motioning his head towards the dark towers rising above the town, shadowing it.

"We shall." She answered determent, and they marched to the castle, Dark silently following them, keeping a safe distance. He sighed deeply when they approached the castle. Destruction and death replaced the once peaceful area, beautiful buildings turned to ruins, loyal soldiers were no more than a pile of rotting organs, and the high turrets of the castle, dark and threatening towered over the land. A river of lava separated them from the castle's entrance.

"How splendid," Arien huffed, standing on the edge of the cliff and staring into the bubbling lava. She kneeled down with a groan, and placed her hands on the ground, closing her eyes in concentration. Dark watched attentively, waiting for something to happen when the earth started to shake and the hard stone beneath her hands transformed into a rocky bridge, connecting them to the castle. His jaw dropped down, she was using magic with no wand, and alchemy with no transmutation circles; the red haired witch had definitely made a progress while he was gone.

He followed them into the castle and a shiver ran down his spine; Ganondorf's aura was radiating from every brick in the walls. He felt nausea building up in his stomach but he kicked himself mentally right away; this time it was different. This time he was not a slave, but an enemy.


	33. Chapter 33

**The next chapter is the final battle against Ganondorf, and the ending of this story.**

**Enjoy these last chapters.**

Arien and the warrior entered the first room to the right, and he passed that door, going down the stairs and opening the next door. Dark decided to make himself useful instead of lingering behind them and watching them do all the hard work, yet he had to be careful not to make his presence too obvious. As long as she believed him to be dead, Ganondorf could not notice him, and her vengeful wrath only amplified her powers.

The room he entered was an icy cavern and before he was able to scan the entire room a stalactite dropped from the ceiling. He managed to evade a direct hit, and rolled to the side, but a sliver that was sprayed from the floor slit his shoulder. He scowled, ignored the pain and moved further into the room, when a Freezard attacked him. One swing of his mighty sword was enough to smash the icy being, but another one appeared. Soon enough he defeated the other Freezard and advanced to examine the room thoroughly. The door was surrounded by a large iceberg, blocking his progress and he turned around to see large stalagmites creating a circle in the center of the room. He broke one of them to discover blue fire burning inside the circular arrangement and put some of it in his bottle, releasing it near the frozen door and melting the ice.

He walked into the next room, and the clock ticking immediately caught his attention, red markings flickered on the frozen walls, informing him he had only one minute and fifty seconds left. He calmly looked around from the high platform he was standing on; ice blocks were scattered around. They should be shifted in a certain way so he could climb up on the left platform and progress. A riddle, he liked that. He did not move an inch, only planned in his head the course, his next moves and how he should move around the ice cubes to reach his destination. When he had a plan only 20 second were left, so he exited the room and reentered it, resetting the clock.

He pushed the first block to fill the hole in the middle of the floor, and started moving the second one around until he had it were he wanted it. Another iceberg waited for him on the platform, and behind it he saw a switch. After a short pondering he decided it would be too obvious to melt the ice and activate the switch and left the rest for the witch and the warrior. He made his way out, entering the initial room just as Arien and the hero walked in, from the opposite side. Luckily for him the high stalagmites hid him from their eyes, and he managed to merge into the shadows before they noticed him.

The blue eyed soldier looked at the room suspiciously, waiting for an attack to come, and was seemingly disappointed when nothing happened. "Don't you think something strange about this room?" He wondered out loud, bothered.

"You wouldn't hear me complaining because no one tries to kill me," she replied with a lopsided smile, flinging her hair backwards, and Dark felt his heart melting just a little.

But then the warrior knelt down, examining the icy floor, and pointed out on something. Dark silently cursed himself for being so incautious; a drop of his blood stained the perfectly clear floor. "Someone was here before." The soldier stated, slowly rising to his feet and scanning the room with curios eyes.

"I wouldn't be surprised if another one of Ganondorf's servants had turned against him." She spat venomously and continued to the door in front of them, while Dark sneaked out of the room. The following room was filled with creatures of the dark, illusions and shadows and he walked in, feeling as if he were at home. The beings of darkness that lurked there came to ingratiate, throwing themselves at his feet, worshiping their master. There was very little he could do in that room and he decided to wait for them; his presence was enough to prevent any of the creatures to attack.

When they walked into the room an angry Like Like launched at the blond lad, but one glare from Dark's eyes was enough to force him back in his corner. Arien walked first and the creatures cleared her way. "This is just like in the Shadow Temple," the warrior exclaimed, "Those nasty things wouldn't hurt you."

"That is because I'm a nasty thing myself," she outsmarted and revealing a rows of shiny white teeth.

The soldier snorted in reply, "No. It's because of him, his love protects you. He was the Shadow Master after all."

Dark cocked an eyebrow, they seemed to discovered much when he was not around, and the boy's insight was quite impressive. Maybe Dark was too quick to judge him.

The next room was boiling hot, and the sweat soaked his tunic and dripped down his face. He had very little to do except for occasionally shutting Fire Keeses and getting rid of other minor inconveniences. The pair worked together like a well oiled machine and it seemed like Ganondorf's obstacles did not slow them down to the least. The next barriers were broken quite effortlessly, with a little help from Dark and much of their talent and abilities. He knew that he should fear, feel stressful or nervous for he would soon face the powerful wizard who enslaved him for these long years. But he felt nothing of that sort, and a calm smile was plastered on his face as he watched his dear damsel elegantly fight her way to destroy that evil man.

The path cleared when the barriers were dispelled and they started climbing up the tower, encountering all of Ganondorf's loyal soldiers, Dinolfos, Stalfos and Iron Knuckles, many of them which he recognized. Dark gritted his teeth as he watched them fight, knowing he could not fight them and reveal himself. Dark looked at the blue eyed boy, he fought bravely and quite skillfully, trying to convince Arien to save her powers for the final battle and leave the fighting for him. She would not listen.

They rushed through the once breathtaking corridors of the castle, where amazing art pieces were placed in every corner and gorgeous paintings covered the pastel colored wall. Nothing was left from that splendid design, everything was damaged and desecrated and Dark felt anger building up inside him as he saw the destruction Ganondorf had spread wherever he went.

Slightly panting and bruised they arrived to the top of the tower, and walked into the room where Ganondorf was waiting.

Finally.


	34. Chapter 34

**So this is the last chapter.**

**To everyone who reads this story, and never commented before, please take a moment and let me know what you think of it.**

**It will make me happy :) **

The Dark Lord sat with his back turned to them, playing a morbid tone on the pipe organ. He slowly stood up and turned to face them, tall and strong, wearing a decorated armor. "I'm honored. The Hero of Time and the second princess of Hyrule both paying me a visit," he said cynically, the dark red cloak waving behind him, like a trail of blood. His eyes locked on the blue eyed warrior, who returned him a fierce glare full of hatred.

"This will be your last visit in this life time." the warrior spat, gripping his sword tightly. Ganondorf tilted his head backwards as he burst in laughter.

"As brave as you father was." the Dark Lord spoke in a nostalgic voice, "But he died, and you shall die as well," he added, looking at the boy with contempt. This tease caused the hero to tense before launching forward at the wizard but Arien held his arm, stopping him.

"Arien, I can see your mother when I look at you." Ganondorf addressed her, trying to undermine her balance.

She gave him a creepy smile, maintaining her composure and shot back, "Do you see the brother you murdered as well?"

Dark fought his urge to laugh at her stinging reply; he missed her cynical humor and sharp tongue. He was even more pleased when he saw the Evil King's face grimace in annoyance. "You will be reunited with them soon, when I kill you." Came the cold answer. Before they could react the Dark Lord smashed his fist in the ground, creating a shock wave that made them fly across the room, landing ungracefully.

The room changed, turning into a square arena, and gates were opened in each side releasing a mob of angry enemies. Ganondorf was hovering over an island in the middle of the room, watching them with a challenging look. The witch and the warrior exchanged looks; words were not needed between them. Dark envied their connection. Arien stepped forward facing the Dark Lord as the hero prepared himself to battle the swarm of evil beings bursting out of the opened gates. Dark's eyes widened as he saw the constant stream of enemies, endless number of them and he feared it was too much for the young warrior to handle. Dark did not wish to reveal his presence in such early phase, but it could be inevitable.

The Dark Lord raised his hands, creating a black cloudy ball above his head and threw it at Arien who simply waved her hand when it reached her, turning it to a rain of flowers. Ganondorf's face twisted in anger and he yelled at her, "Same cheap tricks your mother used. Her tiring, silly preaches on the power of light. But she was defeated!"

He watched Arien's face darken, the sweet girl he knew was gone and replace by a devilish sprite with a dreadful grin. "I'm not my mother," she replied with a low drown, preparing herself for his next attack. A red beam was directed at her and she blocked it with her sword, reflecting it towards the angry mob that attacked her partner. The damaged was enormous. Huge ball of lighting appeared between The Dark Lord's palms and Arien's eyes narrowed trying to figured out his spell. A second later it was speeding in her direction and she clapped her hands together and pressed them to the ground, turning the floor into a thick stone barrier. It smashed when the lighting hit it but she was unharmed.

The Evil King gave her a curios look and muttered. "No transmutation circle. Nicely done."

This time she was first to attack, firing a blue rye that her rival barely evaded. Dark tore his eyes from this battle of giants and shifted his gaze to the secondary warzone, where the warrior was blocking the way of hundreds of Stalfos, Dinolfos and many others of Ganondorf's soldiers. He was injured and approaching exhaustion but fought heroically nonetheless, sometimes defending Arien with his own body, taking arrows meant for her. Dark mused; maybe this lad did justify the title he was given, the Hero of Time.

Meanwhile the struggle between the wizards became more intense, as ricochets and missing blows crushed into the walls, causing much destruction. He saw sweat dripping down Arien's face, and her pale skin was burning red from the effort but she never seemed to tire; on the contrary, her attacks became deadlier. A red line trace her cheek were one of the Evil king's spell touched her, and the blood slowly slid down to her mouth. She licked it like a cat would lick cream and her eyes turned to a yellowish shade of green, nearly as horrid as her enemy's.

Dark felt the end coming, he could not tell who would have the upper hand, but this energy draining, chaotic struggle must end soon. He drew his bow, holding up a light arrow and aimed at the Dark Lord, waiting for the right moment. And then it occurred, both of them attacked simultaneously. A red beam pierced Ganondorf's chest while a black one hit Arien's body, tossing her across the room, crushing on the wall behind her. Dark's heart stopped beating and his first urge was to rush to her. However, he suppressed his emotions and used that opportunity so her sacrifice would not be in vain. Dark aimed at the man who enslaved him, now kneeling on his knees breathlessly, and shut three arrows straight into his chest, causing the Dark Lord to scream in agony. Dark stepped out of the shadow and dashed to the central platform, jumping over the large gap, standing above the wounded wizard. Dark wait for Ganondorf to look up and see him, enjoying the terror he saw in those yellow eyes and with a wrathful swing of his mighty sword, cut the Evil King's head off and kicked it down to the abyss when it fall to the ground.

For a moment every movement in the room ceased and Dark saw blue eyes staring at him with shock. But the pause did not last long and the troops renewed their attack, fighting desperately. Dark joined the hero in battle, wiping away his enemies and yelled to him, "Take her, I'll clear the way for you."

The tower started to crumble, heavy rocks falling from the ceiling and he opened the door for the warrior to pass, carrying Arien in his arms. Dark led the way, mercilessly destroying every creature that came in his way; the only thought in his mind was Arien's sake. Two Iron Knuckles approached him with heavy steps, but even their great might could not compete with his skills and agility, and before they were able to cause much damage he smashed them to pieces. They ran down the stairs, nearly crashing by the collapsing walls, entering another room where a bunch of Stalfos blocked their way.

Dark was unaware to pain, unfamiliar with fatigue, a dreadful killing machine that could not be stopped. Hands were chopped, heads cut off, the enemies' blood stained him and mixed with his own. But he would not stop, would not rest until they were safe outside the cursed castle. In the last moment they ran through the castle's entrance, traversing the bridge before it crumbled behind them and the entire castle collapsed, turned to ruins. He tore his eyes from the saddening sight of the ruined building to see the soldier kneeling beside Arien's body, which lay limp on the ground, "She wouldn't wake up," the boy mumbled helplessly, panic in his eyes.

"Step away, puppy." Dark told him in a kind voice, and took his place beside her. He could not hear her breathing, neither find her pulse and the situation seemed hopeless. But he believed all she needed was a little remainder, he believed the spell that bonded them to each other would save her. He leaned down, carefully wiping the blood from her face, and pressed his lips against hers, putting everything he felt for her into that kiss. That should be more than enough, he thought.

When he broke the kiss nothing happened and his expression darkened, his breath caught in his chest and an agonizing pain built up in his stomach. It was worse than Ganondorf's tortures. But then she took a sharp intake of air and opened her eyes, staring right at him. It took her a moment to recognize his smiling, relieved face before she lifted herself to sit and slapped him hard across the face. "And I thought you were dead the whole time. I mourned you every single day, you idiot." She shouted at him.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, "It was the only way. It was what you told me to do."

A sparkle of understanding flashed in her eyes and she threw herself at him, hugging him so forcefully he could not breathe. He hugged back and pulled her up to stand, caressing her face gently, lovingly. She placed her hand on his nape and guided him down to a soft, tender kiss.

"You're hurt," she remarked as they broke away and her white tunic was covered with his blood. He waved his hand to dismiss it, but she held him around the waist, letting him lean some of his weight on her.

They turned around to see the hero and the council watching them, gapping. The princess stepped forward and was about to talk when Arien cut her rudely, "We will talk later. We should go home now." She stated, and slowly walked forward. Dark was able to walk without her assistance but he longed for her closeness, her touch and leaned on her for support. They passed the council members and Dark sent the warrior a friendly smile, which the boy returned, even though he was still quite puzzled.

He froze in his place when a certain name was called. A name he did not hear for almost a thousand years, his birth name. He turned around slowly to see Impa, The Sheikah's mother superior. "We've wronged you. It was despicable to abandon you. Please accept my sincere apology for my ancestors' mistake." She said in a quiet, humble voice.

"A thousand years is a long time to forgive and forget." He replied in a calm tone, his expression unreadable. And with that he turned around, holding onto Arien and walked away.

It was time for a new beginning.

END*

***I had been planning to publish a few chapters dealing with Dark's life after Ganon's defeat, focusing on his relationship with Arien. **

**But maybe that's the perfect place to end this story. Let me know what you think. **


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